How mohallas were formed: Typology of mohallas from the viewpoint of spatial formation and the urbanization process in Varanasi, India

The Japanese version of this paper was published in Volume 73, Number 623, pages 153‐160, https://doi.org/10.3130/aija.73.153 of the Journal of Architecture and Planning (Transactions of AIJ) . The authors have obtained permission for secondary publication of the English version in another journal from the editor of the Journal of Architecture and Planning (Transactions of AIJ) . This paper is based on the translation of the Japanese version, with some slight modifications. Correction following the first Japanese version publication: In order to clarify the argument, Figure 9 has been added and the section discussing block formation has been omitted.This paper focuses upon some mohallas in Varanasi's old urban area. The mohalla is a traditional neighborhood unit common in North Indian cities. Mohallas were elemental components of the city in the Mughal period as administrative tax units as well as autonomous organizations. Currently, however, they have lost their administrative meaning, and their geographical extent and boundaries are becoming unclear. Based on field surveys, this paper reveals features of the spatial formation of mohallas such as size, boundary form, distribution of facilities, and street pattern, and links them to the historical urbanization process of the city. Mohallas in Varanasi can be broadly classified into two types. One has a linear or tree shape along streets, and the other has a broad territorial shape. The spatial features of those two types are different in various aspects and reflect the degree of urbanization at the time when the mohallas were established