The History Of Bangalore Terror at Tiruvannamalai: The First Anglo-Mysore War, Part 3
One hundred episodes in, and the stakes have never been higher. Ramjee Chandran details the harrowing aftermath of the Battle of Chengam and the subsequent clash at Tiruvannamalai. This is a story of psychological warfare and environmental endurance, where the torrential rains of the monsoon became as much an enemy as the opposing army. Witness the dramatic collapse of the Mysore-Hyderabad alliance, the scene of "absolute carnage" on the road of retreat, and the diplomatic betrayal that left Hyder Ali standing alone against the British East India Company.
Key Details from the Script:
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The Character of the War: Following the indecisive engagement at Chengam, the war shifted from pitched battles to a test of endurance and psychological nerve.
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The Battle of Tiruvannamalai (Sept 1767): Colonel Smith’s British force, though outnumbered and starving, managed to trap the combined forces of Hyder Ali and the Nizam against the hills during a period of relentless monsoon rain.
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The Monsoon Factor: The rain turned the battlefield into a swamp, neutralizing Hyder’s superior cavalry and making the movement of heavy artillery nearly impossible for both sides.
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The Nizam’s Panic: The Nizam of Hyderabad, terrified by the British discipline and the mounting losses, fled the field on his elephant, triggering a total collapse of his flank and a chaotic retreat.
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The Scene of Carnage: The retreat was a disaster; observers described a road littered with dead livestock, abandoned treasure chests, and "the most costly furniture of a royal household" scattered in the mud.
- The Treaty of Masulipatnam (1768): Months after the defeat, the Nizam formally betrayed Hyder Ali, signing a treaty that branded the Mysore ruler a "usurper" and re-aligned Hyderabad with the British.
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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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