The History Of Bangalore

The establishment of the Bengaluru Pete was an act of both commerce and defense, 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 hob@explocity.com. 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 hob@explocity.com. 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 ⁠⁠hob@explocity.com⁠⁠. 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.

While the Vijayanagara Empire under Achyuta Raya was wrestling with northern turmoil, constant friction with Bijapur, and Portuguese unease in the 1530s, the Mysore plateau remained a quiet, profitable hub for trade. Here, the local chieftain, Kempe Gowda, saw the empire's crisis as a rare opportunity and an indicator that the center would soon fail to hold. Ramjee Chandran details how Kempe Gowda shrewdly turned the empire's weakness into his own strength, resolving to build a new and independent trade city. Having earned the empire's trust, his petition to Achyuta Raya for permission to build a fort was swiftly granted. Between 1532 and 1537, this act of political foresight led to the founding and construction of the fort and township that he named Bengaluru. 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 ⁠hob@explocity.com⁠. 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.

Following the death of Krishnadeva Raya in 1529, his brother, Achyuta Raya, inherited an empire fraught with danger. Ramjee Chandran explores the immense challenge of succeeding the legendary emperor, facing enemies at the gates, a cooling relationship with the Portuguese, and the looming political threat of Aliya Rama Raya. The episode examines why history, particularly through the lens of Portuguese chroniclers like Fernão Nuniz, has largely judged Achyuta Raya as "feeble". It argues that his quiet, pragmatic diplomacy — a strategy of "peace through equilibrium" — was an essential and underappreciated necessity for keeping the great empire intact. 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 hob@explocity.com. 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 epic story of Vijayanagara's greatest king reaches its tragic conclusion. This episode traces Krishnadevaraya's final decade, from the hubris of his triumph at Raichur to his death in 1529. Ramjee Chandran follows the emperor from the sacking of Bijapur and the capture of Gulbarga to the heartbreaking decline marked by the death of his only son, the suspicion of betrayal and the hasty blinding of his lifelong mentor Timmarasu, and his own final illness. It is a tale of how one man's greatness was ultimately undone by personal loss and a fatal misjudgment born of grief. 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 hob@explocity.com. 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.

In this sixth episode of the mini-series, we explore the final, triumphant stage of Krishnadevaraya's eastern campaigns and his journey to the zenith of his power. This episode details the fall of Rajahmundry, the final confrontation with the Gajapatis of Odisha at Cuttack, and the diplomatic negotiations that followed. Ramjee Chandran also recounts the dramatic Battle of Raichur, where Krishnadevaraya defeated the Adil Shahi Sultanate. While the Battle of Raichur took Krishnadevaraya to the height of glory, he suffered a moment of hubris that rang like a bell of caution. 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 ⁠hob@explocity.com⁠. 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.

In this fifth part of the mini-series, we follow Krishnadevaraya's longest and most arduous military campaign. Ramjee Chandran details the strategic move eastward, focusing on the years 1513-1515, as the emperor sought to conquer the Andhra region and secure the fertile deltas of the Krishna and Godavari rivers. The episode chronicles the sieges of the formidable forts of Udayagiri and Kondavidu. It highlights how Krishnadevaraya's military genius and the cunning of his minister Timmarasu led to the repeated defeat of the Gajapatis of Odisha and solidified Vijayanagara's control over the entire peninsula. 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 hob@explocity.com. 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.

In this episode, Ramjee Chandran explores the pivotal events of 1510 and Krishnadevaraya's strategic decision not to oppose the rising Portuguese power. The episode details the Portuguese takeover of Goa from the Bijapur sultanate and the roles played by Alfonso de Albuquerque and minister Timmarasu. By examining the political landscape of the time, the episode delves into the central question of whether Krishnadevaraya's choice to trade with the Portuguese was a pragmatic masterstroke or a miscalculation with lasting consequences for the subcontinent. It highlights the disunity of the Deccan sultanates, their naval weakness, and the new era of warfare ushered in by the Portuguese. 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 hob@explocity.com. 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.

Ramjee Chandran continues his mini-series on Krishnadevaraya's reign, exploring how the new Vijayanagara emperor navigated a world in flux, both within his empire and globally. This episode highlights Krishnadevaraya's strategic genius in navigating the complex political landscape of the Deccan, which was fractured into five sultanates and faced the new threat of the Portuguese. The episode details his different approaches to each rival: swift retaliation against Bijapur, cautious diplomacy with the Portuguese, and a calculated decision to wage war against the Gajapatis of Odisha. It also offers a fascinating glimpse into the king's character through a story about his nocturnal wanderings and his use of a spy network to ensure a high-functioning administration. 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 hob@explocity.com. 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.