Trading Towns in Mughal India: A Case Study of Agra

Isha Kaushik

Abstract: Mughal India was indeed a great platform for the birth and growth of various trading centres. Not only various commodities were traded but also the scale and magnitude of trading as an economic activity was immense. Inland trade and maritime trade both flourished during the Medieval period India. Definately a single factor was not responsible for the emergence of these trading centres rather several reasons were responsible for such a scenario. The main trading route acted as a blood vessel which runs through whole of the Mughal Empire and strengthens the interaction between the various trading centers throughout the Empire. One of the significant trading centres was Agra.Numerous reasons were responsible for making Agra a wealthy town which was known for its grandeur and greatness. This paper tries to bring out the reasons responsible for the emergence of trading towns in Mughal India and gives the profile of Agra as a trading town by providing a glance at the various commodities which were available and traded.

Keywords: Inland trade, Quicksilver, Bullion, Sarai, Karkhanas, Administrative, Topography, Entrepot, Maritime trade