CHAPTER

RURAL SETTLEMENTS
2. Cities provide goods and services not only for themselves but also for the people of the rural countryside, in return for food and raw materials. This complementary exchange between cities and the villages takes place through a transport and communication network. 3. The rural settlements depend on land to carry out their primary economic activities. Since each family needs a fairly extensive area of crop, pasture or forest land, villages are normally small in size. There can be rural settlements of single family called homestead. There can be a larger grouping of families or dwellings with concentration of houses etc. on a safer site surrounded by larger support base. On the other hand, large urban settlements inherently present a compact look, with closely spaced houses and streets without much open space between them as their support-base. 4. Rural and urban settlements differ also in their way of life, attitude and outlook. Rural people are less mobile and therefore, social relations among them are intimate. They employ simple techniques to perform their activities and their pace of life is slow. In urban areas, on the other hand, way of life is complex and fast, and social relations are formal and institutionalised. Size and Spacing of Villages The size and spacing of villages depend on a number of factors. Important among them are productivity of land, non-farm activities in the area, transport system, socio-ethnic factors or traditions, and techno-economic organisation and historical and political processes. In areas where habitable land is

Human Settlement means cluster of dwellings of any type or size where humans live. However, in geography settlement is also considered as a process of coming together, to live in an area or locality. This process or phenomenon is also called occupance. For this purpose people erect houses and other structures, and command some area or territory as their economic support-base. Thus, the process of settlement inherently involves grouping of people and apportioning of territory as their resource base. The resulting phenomena called settlements thus denote units of occupancy. RURAL-URBAN SETTLEMENTS Settlements vary in size and type; they may be ranging from little hamlets to metropolitan cities. With size, the economic character and social structure of settlements changes and so does its ecology and technology. Settlements could be small and sparsely located; they may also be large and closely located. The sparsely located small settlements are called villages, specialising in agriculture. On the other side are fewer but larger towns and cities specialising in secondary and tertiary activities. The basic dif ferences between rural and urban settlements are as follows. 1. The rural settlements derive their life support or basic economic needs from land based primary economic activities. Whereas, urban settlements, depend on processing of raw materials and manufacturing of finished goods on the one hand and a variety of services on the other.

India People and Economy

Table 5.1: India: Distribution of Villages according to Population size, 1991 Population Less than 200-499 500-999 size class 200 Percentage of total villages Percentage of Rural population 17.9 24.3 25.0 1000-1999 19.7 2000-4999 10.8 5000-9999 10,000+ Total 1.8 0.5 100.0

1.7

7.8

16.8

25.7

29.8

11.2

7.0

100.0

available in small bits and pieces, the settlements are very small and somewhat isolated. Surprisingly, due to cultural and historical factors some highly developed areas have essentially single unit settlements. The proportion of villages in different size classes is given in Table 5.1 and the distribution of rural population according to village size has been given in Fig. 5.1. There is striking variation in spacing of the villages. For India as a whole, the average distance among villages is 2.52 km. The spacing of villages in states like Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal is below the national average. Level alluvial plains and high rural population density favour the development of closely spaced smaller villages. Consequently, the density of villages is high in these states. Average density of villages per 100 sq. km. is 44 in West Bengal, 40 in Bihar, 39 in Uttar Pradesh and 31 in Orissa. Spacing increases towards south. In Central Highlands average spacing is between 2 and 3 km.

Both size and spacing increase in the Deccan plateau. Spacing is more than 3 km in southern states, highest being 5.44 km in Kerala. Because of topographic constraints, limited soil fertility and water problems, villages tend to cluster in this part of the country. There are less than 15 villages per 100 sq. km. in these states, lowest being 4 in Kerala. In this state territorial limit of a village covers nearly 30 sq. km. accommodating an equally large population. Similarly, because of the environmental problems, villages are located far apart in the Rajasthan desert, Himalayan states and northeastern hilly states. Inter-village distance is 3.21 km in Rajasthan, 6.99 km. in Jammu and Kashmir, and 5.84 km. in Mizoram. Contrary to the southern states, size of villages in these areas is small and density is also low. From the above discussion it is clear that density of rural population as well as the density of villages are inversely correlated with the spacing of rural settlements but are directly correlated with the average size of the villages (Table 5.2).

Table 5.2: India: Relationship between Rural density, size and spacing of Villages, 1991* Inter-village distance (km) Below 2.00 2.00 - 2.99 3.00 - 3.99 4.00 - 4.99 Above 5.00 All Average size of village Rural density (Persons per sq. km) (Population) 752 794 1384 1638 2862 1686
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Village density (Villages per 100 sq.km) 47 19 10 06 02 16.8

350 151 139 101 55 159

* Excluding Jammu and Kashmir.

Rural Settlements

INDIA DISTRIBUTION OF RURAL POPULATION ACCORDING TO VILLAGE SIZE 1991

% OF RURAL POPULATION

POPULATION SIZE OF VILLAGES Fig. 5.1 India: Distribution of Rural Population according to Village Size

TYPES

OF

RURAL SETTLEMENT

Types of the settlement are determined by the extent of the built-up area and inter-house distance. In India compact or clustered village of a few hundred houses or families is a rather universal feature, particularly in the northern plains. However, there are several areas, which have other forms of rural settlements. Thus, rural settlements in India can broadly be put into four types: 1. Clustered, agglomerated or nucleated; 2. Semi-clustered or fragmented 3. Hamleted, and 4. Dispersed or isolated. Clustered Settlements: The clustered rural settlement is a compact or closely built area of houses. In this type of village the general living area is distinct and separated from the surrounding farms, barns and pastures. The closely built area and its intervening streets present some recognisable pattern or geometric shape, such as rectangular, radial, linear, etc. (Fig.5.2). Such settlements
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are generally found in highly productive alluvial plains, in the valleys of the Shiwaliks and in the northeastern states. Sometimes, people live in compact village for security or defence r easons, such as in the Bundelkhand region of central India and in Nagaland. In Rajasthan, scar city of cultivable land and water necessitate compact settlement for maximum utilisation of available resources. Semi-Clustered Settlements: Semi-clustered or fragmented settlements may result either from agglomeration tendency in a restricted area of dispersed settlement or consolidated territorial base. More often such a pattern may also result from segregation or fragmentation of a large compact village. In this case, one or more sections of the village society chooses or is forced to live a little away from the main cluster or village. In such cases, generally, the land-owning and dominant community makes central or main village, whereas people of lower strata of society and menial workers are located on outer flank of the village. Such settlements are widespread in the Gujarat plain.

India People and Economy

LAYOUT AND FORM OF VILLAGES

Fig. 5.2 Patterns of Villages: Rectangular, L-shaped, Square-shaped, Checker board, Hollow-rectangular and Hollow-square shaped. 46

Rural Settlements

Hamleted Settlements: Sometimes settlement is fragmented into several units physically separated from each other bearing a common name. These units are locally called para, palli, nagla, dhani etc. in various parts of the country. This segregation of a large village is often motivated by social and ethnic factors. Such villages are more frequent in the middle and lower Ganga plain, Chhattisgarh and lower valleys of the Himalayas. Dispersed Settlements: Dispersed or isolated settlement pattern in India appears in the form of isolated huts or hamlets of few huts in remote jungles, or on small hills with farms or pasture on the slopes. Extreme dispersion of settlement is often caused by extremely fragmented nature of the land resource base of habitable areas. Many areas of Meghalaya, Uttaranchal, and Himachal Pradesh have this type of settlement. Factors Affecting Types of Rural Settlements From the above description, it is clear that several factors and conditions determine the type of the rural settlement. They can be summarised succinctly as (1) Physical features nature of terrain, altitude, climate and availability of water (Fig. 5.2). (2) Cultural and ethnic factors caste and tribal structure and religion. (3) Security factors defence against invasions, dacoits, wild animals etc. RURAL SETTLEMENT PATTERNS Villages in India show a variety of forms or layouts. Location of houses in accordance with the street system usually determines the shape of the village. Besides the street plan, form of the village is determined by the location of cultural features like temple, mosque, well, tank, etc. Principal settlement patterns discernible in India are (1) linear, (2) radial, (3) star-shaped, (4) spider-web shaped, (5) rectangular or checkerboard, (6) triangular or arrowhead, (7) circular and semi-circular, and (8) fan shaped (Figs. 5.3 and 5.4).
47

Villages following a road or river or canal for some distance presents linear or string patter n (Fig. 5.3). Examples of such settlements are in the coastal areas of Kerala and in the Dun valley (Doiwala, Lachchiwala, Kanwarwala, etc.). In many villages and towns where several roads converge on a settlement located on a nodal position and where the housing development clings to these roads, a radial pattern of settlement emerges (Fig. 5.3). As the interroad space is filled up the settlement becomes star-shaped. The inter-connecting roads between the radial roads, attract new houses, and spider-web shape settlements come into being. Many villages and small towns have roads running parallel and cutting more or less perpendicularly. Such offset road layouts and the enclosed built-up blocks make a checkerboard or rectangular pattern. Such pattern may emerge in a settlement sited at the junction or crossing of two important highways, as is observable over many areas in the northern plains of India. Villages and towns confined between two rivers at their junction or confluence or between bifurcation of two roads eventually result in a triangular or arrowhead pattern. Similarly, settlement at a fan head or a delta head, further expanding along several distributaries often results in a fan shape pattern, for example, Aslana, Garhakota (Madhya Pradesh) and Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu). Settlements encircling features like a lake or a hill may assume a circular pattern; if they encircle the central siting feature partly, the pattern will be semi-circular (Bhimtal in Uttar Pradesh and Siwan in Rajasthan). HOUSE TYPES
IN

INDIA

House is a manifestation of the way humans adjust their dwellings with the environment. Most often, the building materials, plan of the house, slope of the roof, thickness of the wall, direction of the door, etc. are made in accordance of the environmental conditions.

India People and Economy

LAYOUT AND FORM OF VILLAGES

Fig. 5.3 Patterns of Villages: Circular, Polygonal, Hollow Circular, Radial, Horse-shoe shaped and String Pattern 48

Rural Settlements

LAYOUT AND FORM OF VILLAGES

Fig. 5.4 Patterns of Villages: Double Village, Fragmented, Elongated, Fan-shaped, Fortified, and Amorphous 49

India People and Economy

The inter nal structure of the house is according to the lifestyle and social and economic status of the inhabitant. In India rural house types and their building materials show regional distinction and local influences. Courtyard is a typical feature of the Indian house. It is surrounded by houses/rooms on the four sides. It plays very significant role in the social life of the people. In size, the house ranges from single room hut to multiple room building. Rectangular plan of the house is most common in India. The shape and slope of the roof may vary according to the climatic conditions and available local materials. However, circular huts with conical roofs are found in north eastern India, West Bengal, Bihar, Tarai region, Kerala, etc. In low-lying ill drained wetlands, the plinth of houses are often raised one or two metres above the ground. This understory is generally used as cattle shed. In high rainfall areas or in snowfall tracts in mountainous areas, houses may have fewer windows and rather steep roofs to help shed off rain or snow quickly. As one moves towards dryer and hotter climates, roofs become flatter and shape rectangular or circumventing a courtyard. In very hot or humid climate like Kerala, the roofs are double storied and madeup of special grass and thatch that stands rain for a long time. Even in urban areas such thatch sheds may be seen on open terraces and flat roofs of masonry houses. Mud and

specific dried grasses make good thatches; burnt and unburnt brick and some stone or other materials are used for walls. Tiles and zinc sheets are also used for roofs, and stone or wood poles for wall support and corner pillars. Distributional Pattern Rural settlements are distributed in a variety of ways. When a number of small settlements are sited at a rather regular spacing along a road, river, canal, defile or pass in mountainous areas, it is called linear pattern. Western coast, particularly, Kerala is a very long continuous belt of linear settlements. It is also found on the east coast and along the foothills of the Himalayas. Linear pattern is also common in Assam valley along the natural levies and roads. In Uttar Pradesh, the western part has generally large compact villages located wide apart but at a fairly regular spacing, and connected with roads or tracks in several directions. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, the settlements are often fragmented, i.e., one main settlement may have two or three secondary and subsidiary settlements, which are physically discontinuous with the main village. Rajasthan shows a distinct tendency from large and far-flung villages in the desert west to small and more closely spaced settlements in the semi arid east.

EXERCISES
Review Questions 1. Answer briefly the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f ) (g) What is meant by settlement? What is occupance? What kind of functions rural settlements perform? In which size of villages most of the people in India live? What is the proportion of villages, which have less than 500 persons? What is a clustered settlement? What are the main features of Indian houses?

50

Rural Settlements

2. Distinguish between: (a) (b) (c) (d) Rural and urban settlements Clustered and semi-clustered settlements Hamleted and dispersed settlements Linear and circular rural settlements.

3. Describe various types of rural settlement patterns. 4. Describe the factors that affect house types in India. 5. Discuss the distributional pattern of rural settlement in India. Project Work 6. Study a topographical map of any area, and describe various types of rural settlements.

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