“We must understand the past well enough to value it and yet also well enough to know why and how it needs to be changed. Architecture is not just the reinforcement of existing values; social, political and economic. On the contrary, it should open new doors to new aspirations. » [Charles Correa (1985), “The New Landscape”] The antiquity of this megalopolis dates back to the third century BCE, when the Magadhan Empire stretched from Afghanistan in the north to Kerala in the south. After the fall of the Magadhan Empire, these islands came under the rule of several Hindu and Buddhist rulers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'? Get the original essay The dominance of Hinduism and Buddhism has left the islands with few Buddhist monks and a shadowy ethnic group called the Kolis, who traveled from the neighboring landmass of Aparanta (Western Border). In 1348 CE, these islands were under the governance of the Gujrat Sultanate. In the early 16th century, due to the growing power of the Mughals under the leadership of Humayun, Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujrat was forced to sign the Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese rulers of Goa. In this treaty, the marsh of the 7 islands, the town of Bassein and its neighboring dependencies were taken over by Portuguese governance. The Portuguese were constantly involved in promoting their Roman Catholic religious orders in Bombaim. The islands were leased to several Portuguese commanders during their regime. The British were in constant struggle with the Portuguese who were vying for authority over Bombay. In the mid-17th century, the marriage treaty of Charles II of England and Catherine of Braganza placed Bombay in the possession of the British Empire, as part of Catherine's dowry to Charles. Eventually, the British Parliament ceded this archipelago to the British East India Company for an annual rent of 10 pounds, because it was difficult to govern overseas. In 1668, the British recognized the calm backwaters and deep draft around these islands, which could be a potential site for a port. Bombay prospered as a commercial hub but lacked infrastructure like that of Surat. Construction of the fort began in 1715 and was completed in 1745, marking the rise of the powerful British Empire. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized document from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay To improve infrastructure and attract manufacturers, connecting these 7 islands began through the construction of causeways and land reclamation. With growing prosperity and growing political power after the 1817 victory over the Marathas, the British East India Company embarked on large-scale reclamation and engineering works in Bombay. The six-decade period from 1784 with the start of the Hornby Vellard project to the amalgamation of 7 islands into one landmass in 1845 was marked as a period of population increase, as workers from Andhra and central India migrated to complete manual construction work. The new merchants and landlords of Gujrat formed a sect of manufacturers in this emerging town. In 1782, William Hornby, governor of the princely state of Bombay, initiated the first reclamation project to construct a causeway connecting two islands, which gave rise to subsequent reclamation projects. The construction of the Mahim Causeway was the first illegal construction in Asia, where William Hornby, without permission from the British Parliament, built the..