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.

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.