The History Of Bangalore The Building of Bengaluru Pete: 1537
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.
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The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani.
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