The History Of Bangalore The Fort and the Defence of Bengaluru: 1537
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.
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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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