Context:
The recent unveiling of two prominent institutions, namely the new Parliament building, symbolizing political authority, and the Ram temple, representing religious significance prompts speculation about whether future urban centers will prioritize religion over traditional drivers like work, industry, and modernization, which have characterized urban development for the past seventy years. The allocation of approximately ₹85,000 crore for infrastructure development in Ayodhya begs the question of whether religious centers will emerge as the new model for urban development in India.
Relevance:
- GS1- Urbanisation
- GS2- Government Policies and Intervention
Mains Question:
How have cities in India transitioned from colonial to modern? In the context of the recent unveiling of the Ram temple, discuss whether religious centers are emerging as the new model for urban development in India. (15 Marks, 250 Words).
Contrasting Colonial and Modern Cities:
- Over the past two centuries, urban development has been driven by rural to urban migration, supporting industrialization.
- The prevailing discourse distinguishes between colonial cities, such as metros, and advocates for the construction of new cities like Ayodhya, Kashi, and Pushkar.
- Colonial cities were established primarily for the transportation of goods, taxation, and exporting via ships.
- Cities also embody elements of modernism, not only in their architecture but also in various cultural, literary, and behavioral aspects.
- Examples abound of how modernist principles were integrated into India’s urban development model.
- Influential figures like Le Corbusier introduced innovative designs and modern features, while Habib Rahman, commissioned by Jawaharlal Nehru, emphasized modern technology and mass production techniques to create accessible, high-quality goods.
- Additionally, modern towns were typically designed with spaces dedicated to theater, culture, art, and recreation, underscoring their importance as hubs of cultural enrichment and leisure.
- The establishment of new towns served multiple purposes, including providing employment and housing for refugees, alleviating population pressure in existing urban areas, stimulating local economic development, and symbolizing India’s emergence as a modern nation, albeit with some shortcomings in design and inclusivity.
A New Angle to Cities:
- In the current era, a new concept of urbanization is emerging, challenging the traditional view of cities solely as centers of enlightenment, work, and residence.
- Now, cities are increasingly seen as centers for pilgrimages and spiritual journeys, leading to unexpected investments by large corporations in smaller towns like Ayodhya to develop their infrastructure.
- Consequently, India faces a new urbanization dilemma: reconciling a resurgence of faith with urban development, aligning cities and towns with the dominant religion rather than keeping them separate.
Investments and Unsystematic Development Initiatives:
- Following the post-colonial period, new towns emerged, some with industrial significance like Bhilai, Rourkela, and Chandigarh. However, despite these developments, metros continued to attract the largest influx of people and investments.
- Urban centers are typically ranked based on population and wealth generation, with colonial cities topping the list followed by regional urban centers.
- There’s a concerted effort to elevate regional pilgrimage cities to the status of colonial cities, as evidenced by the substantial investment in urban infrastructure in Ayodhya.
- While it’s beneficial to invest in regional cities for production, tourism, and other purposes, the lack of a coherent plan for directing such expenditures across India raises questions about the rationale behind investing in random projects in a disjointed manner.
- Projects like the new Central Vista, the Sardar Patel statue, the high-speed bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, and the Ayodhya temple raise concerns about the significant expenditure.
- It suggests that the Indian government aims to portray the nation as modern while maintaining connections to its ancient heritage, possibly signaling a reversal of the separation between religion and politics.
- This implies a shift toward considering religion as a social phenomenon rather than a purely private matter.
The State’s Role in Promoting Social Welfare:
- In a democratic society, the accumulation of capital and the generation of surplus should be aimed at promoting social welfare rather than religious interests, as seen during early Hindu revivalism.
- Social welfare means that surplus resources should be distributed to establish modern institutions, improve education, healthcare, and other social infrastructure, especially in a society where there’s a pressing need for investments in the social sector. (According to the World Bank, India will require $840 billion in urban infrastructure investments over the next 15 years.) However, the current trend seems to prioritize religious objectives over social welfare.
Conclusion:
This resurgence of religious focus is characterized by a significant centralization of finances and the segmentation of urban spaces along religious lines. A potential solution to this issue lies in decentralization, democratization, and fostering a more inclusive environment where citizens have equal rights and responsibilities.
