Bengaluru After Talikota: 1565-1569

Feb 9, 2026

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As the Vijayanagara Empire splintered into a "political looseness" following the catastrophe at Talikota, Bengaluru didn't just survive—it adapted. Ramjee Chandran examines how Kempe Gowda navigated the transition from imperial subject to autonomous ruler in an era of "untethered freedom". This episode explores the pragmatic nature of Bengaluru’s founder, who had the foresight to maintain the city’s logic of economic circulation. While the Aravidu dynasty at Penukonda struggled to issued orders without authority, Kempe Gowda focussed inward, building the temples, tanks, and markets that would anchor the city’s identity for centuries. We follow the final years of his reign, his strategic alignment with the flow of trade, and the legacy he left for his son, Kempe Gowda II. It is the story of how Bengaluru ceased to be an imperial outpost and began its journey as a self-sustaining engine of the Deccan.

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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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