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Introduction
Rural settlements in India refer to areas where the majority of the population is involved in agricultural, forestry, mining, and fishing activities. These settlements are commonly known as agricultural workshops due to their focus on agricultural practices.
Rural settlements constitute a significant portion of the global population, and they are characterized by their stability and permanence. In India, these settlements can be broadly categorized into three types:
Broad Categories of Rural Settlements
1. Compact Settlements:
Compact settlements primarily revolve around farming activities and are commonly located in highly productive alluvial plains such as the Indo-Gangetic Plains, the Hwang Ho Valley, and the Nile Valley. The houses in these settlements are compact and closely built, often with narrow lanes. The size of these settlements varies based on the natural resources and characteristics of the surrounding region.
Compact settlements typically exhibit a high degree of segregation and differentiation between social classes, particularly the upper and lower castes. Some compact settlements can also be found among hunting and fishing communities.
2. Semi-Compact Settlements:
Semi-compact settlements represent a transitional phase in the development of compact settlements. They emerge in regions that transition from humid areas with marginal agricultural productivity to semi-arid fertile lands. As the population increases, villages expand by adding more houses, occupying open spaces, and gradually evolving into semi-compact settlements. Eventually, these settlements acquire a nucleated pattern of development.
3. Dispersed Settlements:
Dispersed settlements are commonly found in hilly areas, plateaus, and grasslands. They occur in regions where it is necessary for farmers to live on their own land. Overpopulation often contributes to the formation of dispersed settlements. When a group of people leaves an existing village to establish a new one, they tend to create dispersed settlements rather than forming a new compact settlement. Dispersed settlements are relatively recent in age, such as those found in the steppe grasslands of Kazakhstan.
Patterns of Rural Settlements
The patterns of rural settlements refer to the spatial arrangement and relationship between houses and buildings within a settlement. These patterns can be identified by studying local-scale maps and observations. The shape and size of rural settlements are influenced by socio-cultural factors such as caste structure and functional needs of the population.
In India, rural settlements can be classified into various patterns, including rectangular, linear, circular, semi-circular, star-like, triangular, and nebular patterns. However, the focus here will be on the most common patterns, namely rectangular or square, checkerboard, elongated, linear, circular or semi-circular, L and T shapes, and triangular patterns.
The rectangular or square pattern is prevalent in areas with uniform topography, particularly where cultivated fields have a rectangular shape. In larger rectangular villages, two main lanes intersect at right angles in the center, with smaller lanes running parallel to them and leading to interior houses. This arrangement creates a checkerboard or chessboard pattern, with houses organized in sectors or castes.
Usually, high-caste Brahmins or Rajputs occupy central positions, while lower castes inhabit the marginal areas. This pattern is commonly found in regions like the Malwa Plateau, Nimar upland, and the Narmada Valley plain around Maheshwar.
An elongated pattern emerges when one axis of the village is significantly longer than the other. This pattern is observed along higher ground levels in inundated areas, between dissected topography, along narrow strips between two streams, or at the edge of an alluvial terrace.
Linear patterns are common along roads, railway lines, and water fronts, with the main street of the village running parallel to these features. Shops are often located along this street. Linear patterns are found in the middle and lower Ganga plain, parts of the Himalayan region, and coastal regions like Malabar and Konkan.
Some villages exhibit L-shaped or T-shaped patterns. L-shaped patterns occur when two rectangular blocks of houses meet at right angles, often at the junction of a main road and a minor street or track. T-shaped patterns develop when a smaller limb extends towards cultivated fields at an angle, stemming from a main rectangular or elongated village form.
Semi-circular patterns develop along the bends of streams and crescent-shaped meanders. Horse-shoe patterns emerge on the arcuate bends of river meanders. Triangular patterns appear in areas with topographical barriers characterized by negative land features on three sides.
Indian villages also display other patterns such as fan patterns, oval patterns, polygonal patterns, radial patterns, star-like patterns, terrace or contour patterns, etc. Some villages do not have a specific shape and are referred to as shapeless or amorphous villages.
They can be found in regions like southwest Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, the Malwa Plateau, Chota Nagpur Plateau, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and others.
Classification of Villages based on Structure
Villages in India can be classified into various types based on their structure:
The classification of village communities holds significance for understanding the diverse social institutions and cultural patterns prevalent in rural areas. Additionally, such classification aids in analyzing the development of specific village communities.
Rural sociologists have proposed different criteria for classifying rural communities, although a universally agreed-upon classification remains elusive. However, some important criteria have been put forth to categorize village communities.
One criterion divides villages into three categories: migratory agricultural villages, semi-permanent agricultural villages, and permanent agricultural villages. Migratory agricultural villages refer to villages where people reside in fixed dwellings for only a few months.
Semi-permanent agricultural villages are characterized by people living in a village for a limited duration. On the other hand, permanent agricultural villages are inhabited by people across multiple generations.
Another criterion classifies villages into six groups: isolated farmsteads, line villages, circular pattern villages, market center settlements, and hamlets. Isolated farmsteads consist of individuals living on their own farms with their farmland surrounding them. Village settlements denote a concentration of rural residents living together with their farmland.
1. Nucleated Village:
Also known as a grouped village, the nucleated village is characterized by homes of farmers and artisans clustered closely together, while the cultivated land is located outside the village at varying distances. Livestock are often housed with or near the residents. These villages, regardless of their shapes, exhibit a strong social organization fostered by close residential proximity, regular contact, shared community sentiments, and ideas. In India, the nucleated village is the most common settlement pattern, particularly in areas where paddy cultivation is prevalent.
2. Linear Village:
In a linear village, houses are arranged in parallel rows. There are minimal physical markers indicating the boundaries between one village and another. Streams or mountains often serve as natural dividers between villages. Each house is typically surrounded by a small garden consisting of coconut trees, plantains, and cashew trees. Rice fields are located at a short distance from the houses.
This pattern combines the social benefits of close residential proximity with the economic advantages of living on one’s own land. Linear villages are found in regions like Kerala and the delta lands of Bengal.
3. Dispersed Village:
A dispersed village is characterized by scattered or diffuse dwelling places. These villages lack a definite shape or structure and do not have village streets. Instead, footpaths connect the different clusters within the village. Families living on their farms retain their livestock and other possessions within the farm. Dispersed villages are commonly found in hilly areas such as the Himalayan foothills and the highlands of Gujarat.
4. Mixed Village
A mixed village represents a combination of nucleated and dispersed settlement patterns. In this type of village, there is a larger compact settlement of houses surrounded by a few small hamlets located at a distance. Mixed villages can be observed in both plain and hilly areas. There is considerable variation in the layout, distribution, and internal structure of such village communities.
Classification criteria such as permanency, settlement patterns, social stratification, and social organization are used to categorize mixed villages. Permanency refers to the transition from a nomadic lifestyle to settled village life, while settlement patterns refer to the ecological distribution of residences among social groups.
Social stratification pertains to the degree of social differentiation, ranking in a stratification system, mobility within the system, and land ownership patterns. Lastly, organization reflects how village communities organize their collective life, including co-operative, semi-collective, and collective forms of organization.
Classification of Villages based on Size, Population, and Area:
Among the various methods of classifying villages, the most widely accepted and commonly used classification is based on the size, population, and area of land. This classification recognizes the following classes of villages:
1. Pura
Pura refers to the original nucleus or ancient settlement in an area. It is surrounded by chief habitats or nearby areas. Solitary habitats in agricultural regions often evolve into “puravas,” which, under favorable circumstances, develop into full-fledged villages.
2. Khas
Khas is used to denote the main village or the central hub. Sometimes, when people from the main village settle at a distance, they name the new village after their main village. As the population grows, the term “khas” is used for the village from which people have spread out.
3. Kalan:
The term “kalan” is applied to large villages and is typically appended to the village name, such as “Bound Kalan.” Such villages accommodate people from various classes and castes.
4. Khurd:
“Khurd” is a term derived from the Urdu word “barkhurdar,” meaning small or son. It is used to describe small villages, denoting their reduced size in comparison to larger settlements. For example, “Dumarkha Khurd” signifies a small village.
5. Khera:
Khera is used to describe small colonies or higher elevated areas within a village. It holds great social significance for the village community, as it serves as a venue for cultural events like Ramlila and Nautanki. In some regions, the term “khera” is used to refer to locations where remnants of ancient forts can be found.
6. Nanglay
Nanglay refers to a group of small villages where one central village is surrounded by several satellite villages. These satellite villages are closely associated with and dependent on the central village for various services and resources.
Classification based on size, population, and area provides insights into the distinct characteristics and dynamics of different types of villages, helping to understand the social, cultural, and economic aspects of rural communities.
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