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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces Lecture 30: The
Gemeinschaft in the City: Urban Neighbourhoods
The Lecture Contains:
The Case-study of the Pols of Ahmedabad
Characteristics of the Pols
The Mahajan Guild
The Panch System
Activities of the Panch
References
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces
Lecture 30: The Gemeinschaft in the City: Urban Neighbourhoods
Neighbourhood in India is a colourful institution. Very often they
are teeming with primary relations and community based
associations. Padas in Kolkata, peth in Pune, pols and fadia in
Ahmedabad, mohalla and gali in north India are important social
institutions. It evokes a sense of personalized and safe
environment for children to play and inhabitants to freely interact
with each other. In this lecture, we will be looking at the
traditional pol neighbourhoods of Gujarat.
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces Lecture 30: The
Gemeinschaft in the City: Urban Neighbourhoods
The Case-study of the Pols of Ahmedabad
The city of Ahmedabad was founded in 1411, by Sultan Ahmed Shah.
The walled city covers 5.4 sq. km. and emerged as a Central
Business District (CBD). This evolution has put an enormous
pressure on the traditional built fabric of the area. Ahmedabad has
a strong tradition of neighbourhood grouping called pols in
Gujarati. Currently, there are about 596 pols in the city. The word
pol is derived from the Sanskrit word pratoli meaning entrance to
an enclosed area. Pols are residential areas occupied by a set of
people from the same religious background often involved in the
same trade.
Architecturally they are a gated-community having a labyrinthine
street system. The main street of the pol is divided into narrower
streets and they go on further division to an extent that they are
left only with a narrow passage to walk.
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces Lecture 30: The
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces Lecture 30: The
Gemeinschaft in the City: Urban Neighbourhoods
Pols are known by the name of the community living in the
enclosed area. Initially formed along the line of profession they
began in the pre-industrial phase of the citys growth. Pols acted
as a link between an individual and the larger city. Ecologically
speaking, pol is a residential street. It has gates and sub-gates,
the narrow streets widen at a point to accommodate community
activity. It has:
chabutra (meant to feed birds) temple play area
The dense and vertically high building ensured cooler interior
in blazing summers while higher floor brought in warmth in winter.
Structurally the pols have a defense orientated structure. There is
a dead wall at the end of the street. Houses are built with great
care with a massive dead wall and a small entrance. Inside the
houses you will have an open court-yard and covered water
reservoir.
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces Lecture 30: The
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Many houses have a secret underground cellar with a carefully
hidden entrance. Some of these cellars have air-shafts that run
through the walls. It served as retreat for men in hiding.
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces
Lecture 30: The Gemeinschaft in the City: Urban Neighbourhoods
The households located within the pol follow certain rules and
regulations. If slighted, the offender used to be fined and till he
paid up he was not allowed to light a lamp in his house or to give
a feast.
The pol council used to be very active till the recent past. The
council, known as the pol-nu-panch, used to regulate the behaviour
of the members and manage the local affairs. Sometimes a pol is
further subdivided into smaller identifiable units each having its
own panch or council. Two types of membership existed in these
councilsmembership for owners and tenants. The tenants did not have
rights to the pol property and decision making in the pol council.
But they are considered as equal members in matters of the
communityday to day living and on special occasion like death,
marriage, and birth and such other occasions when a family requires
the help of the collectivity.
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces Lecture 30: The
Gemeinschaft in the City: Urban Neighbourhoods
In earlier times the administration of the walled-city was
organized at two levels: At the commercial level there was a
mahajan guild and at the residential level there existed a panch
system.
The Mahajan Guild
The merchant community of Ahmedabad worked under a guild system,
which regulated their activities, and the Nagarsheth was respected
as the head of the Mahajans.
The mahajan guild had its activities around trade. The mahajan
guild was a regulating body and the mahajans were like the
guardians of traders. These bodies protected the traders from
injustice at the hands of the rulers in past. They were responsible
for improving and maintaining the quality of goods in the
market.
Several social work activities were undertaken by the guild. In
times of war or national crisis, guilds often came forward to
protect the city. Almost all public buildings, including schools,
colleges, hospitals, libraries etc. first came into existence with
the generous donations of these mahajans.
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces Lecture 30: The
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The Panch system
The panch members were elected unanimously from the older and
experienced persons in the pol.
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces Lecture 30: The
Gemeinschaft in the City: Urban Neighbourhoods
The social activities undertaken by the panch:
Providing assistance to poor students/members in terms of loans
Running a vadi (community gatherings) Solving social problems and
conflict resolution Organizing religious/recreational trips/sport
activities
The economic responsibilities of the panch:
Community/pol level organisation like the Yuvak mandal are
financed by the panch. Provision of relief/assistance during the
times of calamities. Raising funds for the pol. Collecting
donations from the rich residents. The membership fees collected at
the pol level. Rent obtained by renting out the ''vadi''and other
pol property.
The administrative activities undertaken by the panch:
Formulation of rules/regulations and pol level decisions making.
Appointing watch men /guard for security purposes. The worked for
the upkeep of public facilities like water and public toilets.
A neighbourhood dog in a traditional pol area
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Module 5: Poetics and Politics of Urban Spaces Lecture 30: The
Gemeinschaft in the City: Urban Neighbourhoods
Reference
Garrioch, David and Mark Peel 2006 The Social History of Urban
Neighborhoods, Journal of Urban History 32: 663-676.
Ray, C. N. (2008). Changing Pattern of Traditional neighbourhood
in Walled City of Ahemdabad"; Case of Vad Vali Pol and Navi Pol,
CEPT University Ahemdabad.
Further Reading
Cattell, Vicky. 2004. Having a Laugh and Mucking in Together:
Using Social Capital to Explore Dynamics Between Structure and
Agency in the Context of Declining and Regenerated Neighbourhoods.
In Sociology. Vol. 38, pp. 945-963.
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