Varma Rashmi Rajendra Usha

HR4002

A Tale of Trade Through Towns

This research explores the transformative impact of trade on the architecture and urban form of Kutch’s prominent trading towns—Bhuj, Mandvi, and Mundra with a focus on the mid-18th to late 19th centuries. Situated at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean trade network, these towns served as interconnected nodes of commerce and cultural exchange. Through the study of structures on primary streets like trader residences, warehouses, rest houses, and administrative structures, the project uncovers how trade shaped their spatial organisation, social hierarchies, and economic dynamics. The findings emphasise the enduring legacy of trade in shaping Kutch’s built environment and cultural identity.

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A Tale of Trade Through Towns: Studying the spatial manifestation of trade in Bhuj, Mandvi and Mundra with a focus on the mid 18th to 19th Century

Analysis of research through questions based mind maps

A timeline of trade in Kutch visualised using inferences and information collected from the literature review

A regional study looking at the port towns of Kutch and their trading ecosystem

Case studies to identify patterns in the primary street axes of the towns

Processing fieldwork and identifying indicators of trade across towns

Analysing the role of Bhuj as an administrative town in the trading ecosystem

Analysing the role of Mandvi as a commercial hub in the trading ecosystem

Analysing the role of Mundra as a warehousing and residential town in the trading ecosystem

Final panel that shows how trade routes in Kutch shaped the primary streets of Bhuj, Mandvi, and Mundra, forming interconnected spines that anchored their roles as administrative, commercial, and warehousing hubs within a unified trading network