I will take the example of Kolkata, which is one of the first colonial cities in India.

History of its Growth: In 1690, an English merchant named Job Charnock arranged to lease three villages—Kolikata, Gobindapur, and Sutanuti—by the river Hugli to set up a trading post. In 1698, Fort William was established by the river for defensive purposes. A large open area called the Maidan was cleared around the fort for military engagements. The fort and the Maidan formed the core of the city that emerged rather rapidly.

Colonial Context: Urbanisation in the colonial period saw the decline of some earlier urban centres and the emergence of new colonial cities. Kolkata was one of the first of such cities, representing a model of the South Asian colonial city.

Contemporary Status: India has witnessed steady urban growth since Independence. In 1951, only 17.29% of the population lived in towns, but by 2011, 31.16% of India's population (377.10 million people) were living in 7,935 towns. For the first time since Independence, the absolute increase in population is more in urban areas than in rural areas.

Conclusion: Understanding the present involves grasping the past. Kolkata's transformation from three villages to a major colonial city illustrates how colonialism shaped modern Indian urban centres.