Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c12.62

c12.62

The countryside east of Delhi-Agra region was studded with towns. Both Ralph Fitch and Manrique say that the route from Banaras to Patna was full of large towns.⁴³ Patna itself was 'a very large city with bazars ..inhabited by many merchants.'⁴⁴ According to Pelsaert the eastern part of the country extending up to Jagannath Puri (Cuttack) covering a distance of six hundred kos, contained many large cities.⁴⁵ Bengal too was full of large towns⁴⁶. Dacca, 'the largest town in Bengal', was known for its 'multitudes of inhabitants'.⁴⁷ So was Hoogly.⁴⁸ In the Deccan Thevenot found "a dense population from Aurangabad to Golcunda eastward to Masulipattam".⁴⁹