The History Of Bangalore

The Bengaluru Pete's prosperity was put on hold by the severe political crisis at the imperial capital of Vijayanagara. Ramjee Chandran details the unraveling of the Tuluva dynasty following the death of Emperor Achyuta Raya in 1542. The episode chronicles a decade of palace coups and assassinations—including the murder of Achyuta's son, Venkata I—as powerful factions, particularly the one led by Aliya Rama Raya, fought for control. Rama Raya ultimately triumphs, installing the legitimate claimant Sadashiva Raya as a 'confined monarch' while exercising all real power as regent. This new political order relied on surveillance and containment, creating an atmosphere where the autonomous strength of provincial chiefs like Kempe Gowda was viewed with deep distrust. This is the highly unstable empire that Kempe Gowda is forced to return to after his five-year imprisonment in Anegundi. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible. Follow The History Of Bangalore on social, here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofbangalore/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfBangalore Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoryOfBLR YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HistoryOfBangalore?si=mnH3BsYfI4BUU234 iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-the-history-of-bangalore-163453722/ Follow Ramjee Chandran on Instagram and Twitter: @ramjeechandran The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani. RESEARCH AND SOURCES: All our episodes are based on published research and archive records. To request information about our sources, write to [email protected]. Let us know if you are a researcher (either institutional or independent) and also provide some information about why you need this information. Researchers will get priority. We only have time to engage serious, academic queries so please understand if we do not respond to casual requests.

The Bengaluru Pete was a runaway success; by the early 1540s, it was regulating itself and thriving with a robust internal economy. Ramjee Chandran details how this local prosperity coincided with a profound political crisis at the imperial capital of Vijayanagara. With the empire strained by internal power struggles and the growing dominance of Aliya Rama Raya, Kempe Gowda's regional success was soon viewed as a potential threat. A critical boundary was crossed when a rumour about the chieftain's rising power reached the court. The consequence was immediate and severe: Kempe Gowda was seized, his territories were confiscated, and he was held captive in Anegundi for five years. This episode explores the political intrigue that led to his downfall and the critical question left unanswered: would the new city of Bengaluru survive its founder's long absence? We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible. Follow The History Of Bangalore on social, here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofbangalore/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfBangalore Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoryOfBLR YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HistoryOfBangalore?si=mnH3BsYfI4BUU234 iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-the-history-of-bangalore-163453722/ Follow Ramjee Chandran on Instagram and Twitter: @ramjeechandran The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani. RESEARCH AND SOURCES: All our episodes are based on published research and archive records. To request information about our sources, write to [email protected]. Let us know if you are a researcher (either institutional or independent) and also provide some information about why you need this information. Researchers will get priority. We only have time to engage serious, academic queries so please understand if we do not respond to casual requests.

The establishment of the Bengaluru Pete was an act of both commerce and defence, necessary for survival in the volatile 16th-century Deccan. Ramjee Chandran details how Kempe Gowda’s security plan was dual-layered: relying regionally on the shield of the nine surrounding hill forts, the Navadurgas, and locally on the fortified enclosure. The central feature was the Bengaluru Fort, but imperial policy constrained its design. We explore why the Vijayanagara Emperor strictly mandated that the fort be constructed primarily of mud —never stone walls— which could have been interpreted as a step toward defiance. This episode details the simple but effective defensive engineering, from the narrow, dismounting-only gateways to the elevated platforms that allowed every citizen to participate in the town’s protection. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible. Follow The History Of Bangalore on social, here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofbangalore/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfBangalore Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoryOfBLR YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HistoryOfBangalore?si=mnH3BsYfI4BUU234 iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-the-history-of-bangalore-163453722/ Follow Ramjee Chandran on Instagram and Twitter: @ramjeechandran The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani. RESEARCH AND SOURCES: All our episodes are based on published research and archive records. To request information about our sources, write to [email protected]. Let us know if you are a researcher (either institutional or independent) and also provide some information about why you need this information. Researchers will get priority. We only have time to engage serious, academic queries so please understand if we do not respond to casual requests.

We step into the year 1537 to witness the spectacular groundbreaking of the Bengaluru Pete. Ramjee Chandran joins Kempe Gowda as he lays the foundations of the new city, beginning with an auspicious ceremony where four pairs of milk-white bulls ploughed the first furrows. These lines became the city’s two main arteries: the wide north-south wholesale axis of Doddapete, and the narrower east-west retail axis of Chikkapete. This foundational grid spread outward into rectangular blocks organized by trade and protected by a ring of eight gates aligned to major routes. Kempe Gowda's meticulous design placed specific occupations — from smiths near the gates to gold merchants at the secure centre — ensuring the town functioned with maximum efficiency. By the early 1540s, this meticulously planned urban framework was complete, attracting merchants instantly. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible. Follow The History Of Bangalore on social, here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofbangalore/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfBangalore Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoryOfBLR YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HistoryOfBangalore?si=mnH3BsYfI4BUU234 iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-the-history-of-bangalore-163453722/ Follow Ramjee Chandran on Instagram and Twitter: @ramjeechandran The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani. RESEARCH AND SOURCES: All our episodes are based on published research and archive records. To request information about our sources, write to [email protected]. Let us know if you are a researcher (either institutional or independent) and also provide some information about why you need this information. Researchers will get priority. We only have time to engage serious, academic queries so please understand if we do not respond to casual requests.

The founding of Bengaluru is a period of history "deceptively difficult to reconstruct," relying on fragmentary evidence from local documents. Ramjee Chandran details Kempe Gowda's comprehensive strategy to found the Bengaluru Pete, overcoming a period "almost entirely without reliable records." The blueprint leveraged geography for success, starting with the defensive shield of the Navadurgas and the natural convergence of trade routes. He secured vital resources by integrating territories like Domlur and Ulsoor to ensure predictable food and water supply. Despite receiving imperial permission from Achyuta Raya, Vijayanagara policy dictated a critical constraint: he was only allowed to build a functional mud fort, revealing the empire's lingering fear of revolt. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible. Follow The History Of Bangalore on social, here: Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/historyofbangalore/⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfBangalore⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/HistoryOfBLR⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@HistoryOfBangalore?si=mnH3BsYfI4BUU234⁠⁠ iHeartRadio: ⁠⁠https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-the-history-of-bangalore-163453722/⁠⁠ Follow Ramjee Chandran on Instagram and Twitter: @ramjeechandran The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani. RESEARCH AND SOURCES: All our episodes are based on published research and archive records. To request information about our sources, write to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠. Let us know if you are a researcher (either institutional or independent) and also provide some information about why you need this information. Researchers will get priority. We only have time to engage serious, academic queries so please understand if we do not respond to casual requests.