Kantheerava and Chikka Deva: The Rule of Mysore Begins

Having purchased Bengaluru for three lakh gold varahas, Chikka Devaraja Wadiyar did not just become its owner; he became its architect. Ramjee Chandran explores the pivotal years between 1690 and 1704, when Bengaluru was transformed from a commercial pete into the strategic northern gateway of the Mysore Kingdom. This episode details the massive project of replacing the old mud fort with stone, the symbolic construction of the Kote Venkataramana Temple, and the implementation of a sophisticated bureaucracy—the Attara Kacheri—that would define Karnataka’s administration for centuries. Witness the moment Bengaluru truly became a royal city, shaped by the discipline of the "Navakoti Narayana" or "the Nine-Crore King."

Key Details from the Script:

The Strategic Necessity: Chikka Devaraja realized that to hold the Mysore plateau against the Mughals and Marathas, Bengaluru had to be transformed from a mud-walled market into a formidable stone fortress.

The Stone Fort: He initiated the construction of the stone fort, creating a military structure so robust that it became the first line of defense for the kingdom.

The Kote Venkataramana Temple: Built in 1689 adjacent to the palace within the fort, the temple served as a spiritual anchor and a symbol of Wadiyar sovereignty over the newly acquired city.

The Athara Kacheri: To manage his expanding wealth and territory, he established 18 administrative departments, creating a centralized government that streamlined tax collection and civil service.

The Legacy of Modernity: The script emphasizes that if Kempe Gowda gave Bengaluru its birth, Chikka Devaraja gave it its future as a modern state capital.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible.

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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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