The History Of Bangalore

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  Tipu’s Sons. The Treaty of Seringapatam, Part 2 03.08.2026 21min

  Description: Behind the ink of formal treaties lies the poignant reality of human collateral. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran details the emotional exchange that saw two of Tipu Sultan’s young sons handed over as political hostages to guarantee a massive war indemnity. Uncover the behind-the-scenes political maneuvering by Mysorean vakeels to protect key heirs, the grand 21-gun procession to the British lines, and how Lord Cornwallis transformed a solemn surrender into a personal, career-defining moment of redemption following his loss at Yorktown. Key Details from the Script: Human Collateral as Guarantee: The preliminary peace articles required Tipu Sultan to yield two of his sons to the British until his three-crore-rupee indemnity (plus 30 lakh rupees in durbar expenses) was paid in full. The Diplomatic Gamesmanship: Tipu’s envoys (vakeels Ghulam Ali Khan and Ali Reza Khan) artfully engineered the handover: Fateh Hyder (The Eldest): The vakeels claimed he was "obnoxious" (disliked) by Tipu. In reality, officers like Alexander Baillie noted he was an active 19-year-old military commander leading troops, making his capture an intolerable military loss. Abdul Khaliq (Middle Son): Claimed to be too sickly to leave the women's quarters; the British rejected this plea, and the 10-year-old was sent regardless. Muiz-ud-din (Youngest of the three): Framed as Tipu's "favourite" and heir apparent to project sincerity. Historians like Denys Forrest suspect the vakeels swapped Muiz-ud-din for Muhi-ud-din—Tipu's only fully legitimate son born of Ruqiya Banu Begum—fooling the British with the phonetic similarity of the names. The Grand Procession: On February 26, 1792, the two young princes (Abdul Khaliq, 10, and Muiz-ud-din, 8) departed Srirangapatna on silver howdahs atop elephants. Escorted by camel couriers, standard-bearers, 100 silver-speared pikemen, and sepoys, they were saluted by both the fortress guns and a 21-gun salute from the British camp. The Meeting with Cornwallis: Lord Cornwallis personally met the boys at his tent door, embracing them and taking each by the hand. Head vakeel Ghulam Ali declared that Cornwallis must now be their father. Cornwallis assured them of equal care to his own son, exchanging gifts of a gold watch for a Persian sword. Publicity, Medals, and Aftermath: News of the handover triggered massive public celebration in London. Matthew Boulton’s Soho Mint struck a commemorative medal featuring Cornwallis with the Latin motto fas sit parcere hosti ("let it be right to spare the enemy"). Artist Robert Home sketched the famous scene, and Cornwallis was elevated from Earl to Marquess. Ghulam Ali Khan remained with the princes in Madras during their two-year captivity until Tipu fully paid the debt in March 1794. Historical Echoes & Cornwallis's Karma: This hostage event echoed theHoysala King Veera Ballala III, whose son Virupaksha was taken as a hostage to Delhi in 1311 and held for two years. For Cornwallis, receiving Tipu's sons and sword provided personal closure after his humiliating 1781 surrender at Yorktown during the American Revolution. 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.
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  The Treaty of Seringapatam, Part 1 28.07.2026 16min

  Following the successful encirclement of Srirangapatna, fighting gives way to intense, high-stakes diplomacy in a negotiation tent pitched near the Eedgah. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran details the rigorous process behind the Treaty of Seringapatam in March 1792, where Lord Cornwallis, the Maratha Confederacy, and the Nizam of Hyderabad met with Tipu Sultan’s envoys to dismantle the formidable power of Mysore. Discover how the harsh loss of coastal gateways like Malabar, massive monetary indemnities, and unique cultural clashes during drafting permanently crippled Tipu's empire—leaving it landlocked and reduced by half. Key Details from the Script: The Preliminary Articles and Hostage Clause: Just a day after Tipu Sultan’s final failed breakout attempt, the preliminary peace terms were sealed on the night of February 23, 1792. The preliminary agreement stipulated that Mysore surrender vast territories, pay a massive financial indemnity, and hand over two of Tipu’s young sons as security hostages until the payment was settled. The Triple Alliance at the Table: While popular history frames the conflict primarily as British versus Tipu Sultan, the Maratha Peshwa and the Nizam of Hyderabad were co-signatories who played an essential role in Tipu's defeat. The Marathas fought to secure the fertile Doab territory in northern Mysore, while Nizam Ali Khan (Asaf Jah II) aimed to neutralize the persistent southern threat on his borders and collect his share of land. The High Price of Defeat: Formally negotiated by Sir John Kennaway for the British alongside Tipu's chief vakeels (Ali Reza Khan and Ghoolam Ali), the treaty stripped Mysore of approximately half its territory. The British claimed Calicut, Coorg, Baramahal, Dindigul, and Salem; Hyderabad took Cuddapah and part of the Doab; and the Marathas annexed the districts along their southern frontier. Additionally, Tipu was forced to pay 3 crore rupees in coin and bullion, plus 30 lakh rupees in "durbar expenses". The Fatal Loss of Malabar: The surrender of Calicut was the single most crippling blow to the Mysore State. As Mysore's primary gateway to the Arabian Sea, losing the Malabar coast permanently cut Tipu off from foreign trade in pepper and cardamom, direct arms imports, and maritime contact with the French. The kingdom was rendered landlocked, destroying the economic engine that funded its military. Heated Disputes and Human Diplomacy: The negotiations saw intense legal sparring—the British successfully insisted on protecting the Rajah of Coorg despite Mysore's objections, while Tipu's envoys successfully negotiated to retain Gooty. Despite the grim circumstances, a remarkably respectful, courtly relationship developed between Kennaway and Ali Reza Khan, who softened their harsh diplomatic demands with genuine personal regret. Cultural Clashes in Contract Language: A stark cultural divergence arose over standard legal phrasing. The British inserted the common legal term "successors, heirs and assigns," which the Marathas rejected as feeling finite. Instead, drawing on traditional Deccan inscription language, the Marathas insisted the agreement should hold "as long as the sun, moon, and stars endure". Permanent Dismantling: Finalized between March 17 and 18, 1792, the treaty irrevocably altered the geopolitical landscape. None of the surrendered territories were ever recovered by Mysore, ensuring that despite Tipu's subsequent rebuilding efforts, his empire would never again operate as an invincible, equal sovereign power in India. 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.
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  The Fall of Seringapatam, 1792 24.07.2026 19min

  Nine months after a grueling retreat, Lord Cornwallis returns to the gates of Srirangapatna with the full weight of the Triple Alliance. Rather than initiating a slow, conventional siege, Cornwallis strikes under the cover of darkness, launching an aggressive infantry assault that shatters Tipu Sultan's formidable river defenses. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran details the pivotal turning point where the geopolitical fate of Mysore was truly sealed. Witness the completion of a flawless pincer movement as General Abercromby’s Bombay division arrives from the west, pinning the Sultan inside his island fortress and forcing a proud ruler into an unprecedented plea for terms. Key Details from the Script: The True Fall of Mysore: While history books heavily emphasize the bloody 1799 storming where Tipu Sultan lost his life, the geopolitical fate of the Kingdom of Mysore was effectively sealed in February 1792. Following this campaign, Tipu retained his throne for seven more years but was permanently stripped of his status as an equal sovereign among regional powers. The Midnight River Crossing: Srirangapatna was protected naturally by two deep channels of the Kaveri River, fortified with stone ramparts and heavy artillery covering every crossing. Abandoning his usual methodical caution, Cornwallis launched a surprise night assault on Tipu’s heavily fortified camp on the north bank. In chaotic, hand-to-hand combat, British sepoys and Hyderabad troops pushed across the river, establishing a vital allied foothold right on Srirangapatna island. Cornwallis himself sustained a minor wound during the close-quarters fighting. The Pincer Closes: The assault was only the first jaw of a larger strategic trap. General Robert Abercromby successfully marched the Bombay division east from the Malabar coast, navigating the treacherous, steep, and heavily forested passes of Coorg. By mid-February 1792, Abercromby entrenched his forces southwest of the island fortress, working in perfect logistical synchronization with Cornwallis to the north to completely encircle the capital. The Limits of the Cavalry: Tipu Sultan's elite irregular light cavalry, known as looties, remained the finest in India—even earning a private tribute from Cornwallis, who noted that any single lootie was a better soldier than the three British generals previously commanding against them. However, while these swift horsemen excelled at wars of attrition against supply lines, they were entirely unequipped to break a fixed, multi-directional pincer siege. Tipu's Final Assault: On February 22, 1792, Tipu launched a desperate, direct counter-attack against Abercromby's southwestern position, gambling that the newly arrived Bombay division would be vulnerable after their mountain march. Abercromby’s men successfully held their ground, breaking the assault and expending the last independent military momentum Tipu possessed. An Unprecedented Plea for Peace: Realizing that no external allies were coming to his rescue and that allied siege guns were close enough to systematically reduce the fort's walls, Tipu Sultan officially sued for peace. Distinct from an unconditional surrender, this request to negotiate was made from a position of profound weakness while the walls still stood, contrasting sharply with the 1784 Treaty of Mangalore where Tipu had dictated terms as a military equal. Cornwallis's Personal Redemption: For Cornwallis, this victory offered profound personal redemption. A decade prior, he had carried the crushing stigma of losing America after his historic surrender to George Washington's allies at Yorktown, Virginia. By breaking Tipu Sultan on the banks of the Kaveri River, Cornwallis successfully rewrote his own legacy, transforming from the general who lost America into the commander who broke Mysore. 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.
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  The Road to Seringapatam, Part 2 23.07.2026 24min

  Following a devastating logistical collapse and a painful retreat from Srirangapatna, Lord Cornwallis discovers he is not as isolated as he feared. Just as hunger begins to dismantle his forces, an unheralded vanguard appears on the horizon, signaling a profound turn of fortune. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran charts the dramatic resurgence of the Triple Alliance. From the miraculous eleventh-hour arrival of 40,000 Maratha horsemen to the systematic dismantling of Tipu Sultan’s "impregnable" granite hill fortresses (navadurgas), follow the allied forces as they return to the gates of the Mysorean capital—this time, leaving absolutely nothing to chance. Key Details from the Script: The One-Day Lifeline: As the British and Nizam’s forces retreated toward Bangalore amid a quiet famine, the vanguard of a 40,000-strong Maratha cavalry army suddenly materialized. Because Tipu’s light horsemen had intercepted all prior messengers, neither army knew the other was close until they blindly converged outside Srirangapatna on May 26, 1791. Had the Marathas arrived just one day earlier, Cornwallis would not have had to destroy his vital heavy siege guns. The Bazaars of the Marathas: The Maratha camp traveled with heavily stocked commercial bazaars, instantly alleviating the British famine with grain and provisions. While the immediate starvation ended, the lack of heavy artillery meant a second siege that season was impossible, forcing the unified coalition to march back to Bangalore to regroup and wait out the monsoon. The Vision of Mahadji Scindia: The coalition Cornwallis now relied upon was an ironic twist of history. Years earlier, the great Maratha statesman Mahadji Scindia of Gwalior had recognized that a divided India would be picked apart by the British and tried to unite Mysore, Hyderabad, and the Marathas. Tipu Sultan’s rigid suspicion and inflexibility alienated his neighbors, resulting in Scindia's envisioned grand alliance being deployed against Mysore instead of for it. Cracking the Navadurgas: To secure his vital supply arteries connecting Bangalore to the Carnatic and Hyderabad, Cornwallis spent the monsoon months systematically reducing Tipu's strategic granite hill fortresses. Nandidurga fell in October 1791, followed by Savanadurga and Hutridurga by December. Capturing these heights permanently flipped control of the Deccan trade routes to the British and severely fractured the Mysorean morale, proving these centuries-old landmarks were no longer impregnable. General Medows' Gold Mine: During the high-stakes assault on Savanadurga, a rumor swept through the advancing sepoy ranks that the breach was booby-trapped with explosives. The famously humorous General William Medows defused the paralyzing tension by dryly remarking that the only mine nearby was a "gold mine," prompting laughter that propelled the Madras Infantry regiments forward to secure victory. The Second March Commences: Refusing to be distracted by Tipu’s 28-day diversionary siege and capture of Coimbatore to the south, Cornwallis turned his massive, fully refitted allied force back toward the capital on January 25, 1792. By February 5, the army set up an extensively supplied camp at French Rocks (modern Pandavapura), just six miles north of Srirangapatna. Dismantling the Pleasure Gardens: In an industrial display of hand-labor, 1,200 allied soldiers manufactured thousands of gabions, fascines, and pickets in a single day to prepare for the siege. In a bitter twist of wartime irony, the raw brushwood and timber for these defensive earthworks were methodically chopped down from Tipu Sultan's famously beautiful, perennially blooming pleasure gardens situated right outside the fortress walls. 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.
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  The Road to Seringapatam, Part 1 06.07.2026 22min

  With Bangalore secured, Lord Cornwallis turns his sights west toward the ultimate prize: Tipu Sultan’s island capital of Srirangapatna. But a secondary fortress stocked for a year's siege serves as a stark warning that Mysore’s resources remain deeply formidable. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran chronicles the grueling, circuitous march against two ticking clocks—the impending southwest monsoon and a looming European war in London. Discover how Tipu’s devastating scorched-earth strategy transformed the landscape into a lethal weapon, breaking the British logistics spine and forcing a deeply demoralising retreat within sight of the capital's walls. Key Details from the Script: The Scale of Tipu's Reserves: When British engineers surveyed the captured ammunition stores in Bangalore Fort, they found 120 foreign cannons (Spanish, French, and British) and enough dry magazine ammunition to withstand a full year's siege. This made Cornwallis realise that Mysore was far from running out of resources, raising the stakes for what awaited them at the capital. The Two Ticking Clocks: Cornwallis was operating under intense time constraints. Locally, the southwest monsoon was due in June, leaving only a two-month window to march and conquer the capital. Globally, the radicalisation of the French Revolution put London on high alert for an impending Anglo-French war, prompting the Board of Control to explicitly pressure Cornwallis to end the campaign quickly. The Long Way Round: To avoid marching directly into Tipu's prepared defenses along the shortest western route through Closepet (modern Ramanagara), Cornwallis chose a circuitous path down the Kanakahalli Road. This cautious manoeuver was deeply influenced by Cornwallis's haunting memories of being encircled and trapped into a historic surrender at Yorktown, Virginia, a decade prior. The Nightmare of Scorched Earth: Tipu executed a brutal scorched-earth campaign inherited from his father, Hyder Ali, emptying villages, stripping grain stores, fouling wells, and slaughtering livestock. As fodder vanished, thousands of vital draft bullocks collapsed and died. British soldiers were forced to harness themselves to ropes to drag heavy siege guns across the rough, dissolving terrain by hand. Disease and Desperation in Camp: The marching camp quickly deteriorated as smallpox tore through the ranks of soldiers and vulnerable camp followers. Driven by extreme hunger and exhausted rations, lower-caste followers and troops were reduced to subsisting on the meat of dead buffaloes to survive. The Hollow Victory at Arakere: On May 14, 1791, the coalition forces—allied with the Nizam’s Hyderabad contingent—met Tipu’s army at the village of Arakere, just 20 kilometers from Srirangapatna. Although the combined artillery held the center and forced Tipu's forces to withdraw behind their capital walls, it was a hollow battlefield victory. A Heartbreaking Retreat: A quick reconnaissance revealed that the battered, starving, and disease-ridden army lacked the strength to breach Srirangapatna's walls. On May 24, 1791, an early monsoon broke, turning the roads to mud. Cornwallis made the agonizing decision to blow up his irreplaceable heavy siege cannons, dump his dry ammunition into the Kaveri River, and order a long, miserable march back to Bangalore. 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.
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  In The Aftermath of the Fall of Bangalore, 1791 29.06.2026 21min

  History moves quickly to the next battle, but it rarely stops to examine the morning after. Following the harrowing midnight breach of March 21, 1791, Bangalore awoke to a transformed reality. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran takes us inside the captured fort and pete to explore the immediate, human cost of victory. From the contrasting grief of two mothers on opposite sides of the ocean to the systematic plunder of Tipu Sultan’s grand palaces, the rapid establishing of British colonial bureaucracy, and a dark act of vengeful retaliation that sealed the fate of nineteen captive Highlanders, discover how the aftermath of Bangalore's fall reshaped the war. Key Details from the Script: The Tale of Two Mothers: The episode opens by contrasting the human toll on opposite sides of the conflict. In Bangalore, a Mysorean mother mourns her son—a soldier or craftsman lost in the brutal midnight crossfire where 1,400 people died. Thousands of miles away in Britain, another mother anxiously awaits news, knowing her son might be among the heavy British casualties or survivors. The Plunder of Tipu’s Palace: Once the fort fell, the initial hours dissolved into chaotic and extensive plundering by victorious troops. Soldiers ransacked Tipu Sultan's beautiful, double-storied teak palace within the fort. They stripped away rich carpets, heavy silken hangings, gold ornaments, and fine porcelain. Priceless books and manuscripts from Tipu's personal library were scattered across the dirt. Cornwallis Restores Absolute Order: To stop the chaos, Lord Cornwallis acted decisively. He placed strict guards at the fort gates, established an immediate military police presence, and ordered all stolen property to be returned to a centralized prize fund. Any soldier caught looting after the order faced public floggings or execution, demonstrating the strict discipline of the British war machine. Securing the Taramandala Industry: Beyond treasure, the British captured Tipu's highly sophisticated taramandala (armaments factory). They discovered fully operational foundry equipment, advanced wind- and water-driven boring machines, and stockpiles of half-finished iron rockets and cannon barrels. This effectively dismantled Tipu's primary industrial base for weapons manufacturing. The Rapid Rise of Colonial Bureaucracy: Within days, the British transformed the conquered military outpost into a functioning administrative hub. Markets in the pete were forcibly reopened, standard trade regulations were implemented, and the local population was induced to return to supply the British army with grain and cattle. The Vengeful Execution of the Highlanders: When news of Bangalore's fall reached Tipu Sultan, his shock dissolved into vengeful fury. He turned his anger on nineteen British Highlander prisoners he had held captive since an earlier engagement—men he had previously humiliated by forcing them to dress in women's clothing and perform for his court. In a sudden, exemplary act of retaliation, Tipu ordered all nineteen prisoners executed. The Advanced Base for Seringapatam: By April 1791, the fort was fully repaired, garrisoned, and the Triple Alliance coalition was safely assembled. As historian John Fortescue later noted, taking Bangalore provided the ultimate advanced base of operations. Cornwallis now stood in the strongest fortress of Mysore, turning his eyes directly west toward the final objective: Seringapatam. 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.
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  The Fall of Bangalore, Part 2: The Breach 22.06.2026 18min

  The high-stakes gamble of Cornwallis's ghost camp pays off at dawn, exposing a hidden web of espionage and bribery run by William Read and Thomas Munro within the Mysorean ranks. But as the siege pushes toward its absolute limit, the fate of Bangalore comes down to a desperate midnight assault on March 21, 1791. In the conclusion of this two-part special, Ramjee Chandran chronicles the harrowing final hours of the campaign: the elite "Forlorn Hope" navigating a two-foot-wide causeway under a sky illuminated by Mysorean fireballs, the tragic collapse of an exhausted garrison, and the heroic death of Killedar Bahadur Khan. Key Details from the Script: The Ghost Camp Success: At dawn on March 17, Mysorean gunners unleashed a devastating, carefully targeted artillery salvo directly into Cornwallis's cavalry lines. Though the barrage tore through the canvas tents and churned up the landscape, the tents were entirely empty. Cornwallis's deception saved thousands of cavalry horses from being slaughtered, preserving British mobility for the rest of the campaign. The Espionage of Read and Munro: To bypass the slow Madras administration, Cornwallis relied on Captain William Read and a young, language-proficient officer named Thomas Munro to run a sophisticated network of hircarrahs (intelligence runners). They successfully bribed and cultivated paid informants deep inside Bahadur Khan's own staff, mapping out Mysore's heavy batteries in real-time. (A historical detour: during this period, Munro translated a Persian manuscript containing the "pound of flesh" story that predated Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice). The Arithmetic of Fatigue: Expecting an immediate British assault on March 20, Tipu Sultan threw 700 elite dismounted cavalrymen into the fort as reinforcements. The defenders stayed awake in a state of high alert for over 24 hours, maintaining constant fire. When the assault failed to materialise during the day of the 21st, the garrison succumbed to profound exhaustion—leaving them unable to hold watch when the true midnight attack finally commenced. The Blank Cartridge Deception: On the day of the assault, the British concentrated heavy fire on the towers overlooking the eastern curtain wall breach near the Delhi Gate. For one full hour leading up to the attack, Colonel Giles ordered his men to switch to blank cartridges. The continuous noise and smoke successfully kept the defenders pinned away from the walls while allowing the storming parties to quietly slip into position undetected. The Path of the Forlorn Hope: At 11:00 PM under absolute secrecy, the "Forlorn Hope"—a sergeant, twelve men, two lieutenants, and thirty elite soldiers—led the advance. To reach the breach, they had to cross a narrow, 100-yard causeway that the defenders had cut through, leaving a ledge just two feet wide. Soldiers crossed in single file in total darkness before the fort erupted with defensive blue lights and explosive fireballs that illuminated the night like the noon sun. The Fall and the Tragedy: Led by the Forlorn Hope and supported by the Madras Sappers carrying scaling ladders, the British fought their way up the jagged breach, igniting brutal hand-to-hand combat across the ramparts. Within an hour, the fort fell. In the chaotic aftermath, retreating garrison troops collided with a crowd of sheltering women and children in a narrow gateway; unable to distinguish between them in the dark, British troops killed over 1,400 people. The Death of a Hero: The silver-bearded Killedar, Bahadur Khan, fought to his final breath, sustaining nearly as many wounds "as were inflicted on Caesar in the capitol." Impressed by his gallantry, the British offered his remains to Tipu Sultan, who wept and requested he be buried where he fell. The British buried the veteran defender with full military honors, attended by senior Muslim officers from the British ranks. 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.
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  The Fall of Bangalore, Part 1: The Siege 22.06.2026 18min

  Following the lightning-fast two-hour fall of the pete, Lord Cornwallis found himself trapped in a gruelling logistical nightmare against the strongest fortress in Mysore. From March 12 to 20, 1791, the siege of Bangalore Fort became a high-stakes chess match of engineering versus endurance. In the first of this two-part special, Ramjee Chandran details the tactical brilliance of the Madras Sappers, the devastating psychological warfare of Tipu Sultan’s advanced iron rocket corps, and the elegant, high-stakes piece of midnight battlefield theatre that set a trap under the noses of the Mysore gunners. Key Details from the Script: The Deceptive Two-Pronged Feint: Immediately following the loss of the pete, Tipu Sultan launched a calculated counterattack led by generals Qamardeen Khan and Syed Sahib. A visible decoy column staged a distant cannonade to the north-east of the fort to distract the British, while Qamardeen quietly swung his primary force around to infiltrate the pete. Cornwallis anticipated the ruse, shifted the 76th and 36th Regiments to intercept them, and inflicted over two thousand Mysorean casualties, forcing a permanent retreat. Turning Geometry Against Stone: On March 12, the methodical, systematic reduction of the fort began under Captain Alexander Kyd of the Bengal Engineers. Rather than a blind bombardment, the Sappers utilised advanced tactical gun placements: enfilade batteries fired along the length of the walls to sweep multiple defensive works at once, while ricochet batteries skipped low-angle cannonballs off the ground to bounce over protective parapets. By March 16, the first major structural cracks emerged east of the Delhi Gate. The Silver-Bearded Aggressor: Defending the fort was Bahadur Khan, an aged killedar revered for his temperate life and a beard where "every hair vied with silver in whiteness." Khan refused to play a passive defense; he launched ferocious sallies (sudden infantry sorties) that inflicted heavy British casualties and successfully used rocket volleys to completely obliterate two of Cornwallis's irreplaceable 18- and 24-pounder heavy siege guns. The Logistics Death Spiral: Beyond the fort walls, Cornwallis faced an absolute crisis of forage. Tipu Sultan’s scorched-earth strategy left the surrounding countryside entirely bare, making fodder unbuyable at any price. With hundreds of transport bullocks starving to death daily, the British siege train—dependent on tens of thousands of animals to move heavy shot, water, and artillery—faced a ticking clock toward total collapse. The Ancestor of the National Anthem: The iron-cased Mysore rockets bedeviling the British camp were highly refined explosive weapons stabilised by long bamboo poles. Years later, a British officer named William Congreve would reverse-engineer captured Bangalore designs to create the "Congreve rocket"—the exact weapon used against Napoleon and the historical inspiration behind the "rockets' red glare" in the American national anthem. The Grand Theater of the Phantom Camp: On the night of March 16, Cornwallis acted on a critical intelligence tip. He quietly ordered his cavalry horses and riders down into a natural hollow, rendering them completely invisible to the fort’s lookouts. Crucially, he left the empty tents standing. In the darkness, British infantry crawled into the vacated lines, crouching low behind earthworks directly underneath the decoy camp, waiting for the unsuspecting Mysore gunners to open fire on a ghost target at dawn. 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.
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  The Sixth Battle of Bangalore: The Fall of the Pete, 1791 15.06.2026 15min

  While history books fixate on the dramatic midnight breach of the Bangalore Fort, the entire Mysore campaign was actually decided two weeks earlier in the blood-soaked streets of the commercial city. On March 7, 1791, Lord Cornwallis launched a brutal, house-to-house assault on the Bangalore pete—a fortified manufacturing powerhouse of over a hundred thousand citizens. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran uncovers the terrifying reality of 18th-century urban combat, the tactical genius of the pete's defenses, and the tragic fall of Colonel Moorhouse, whose legendary death at the Yelahanka Gate was immortalized by British art but fundamentally misplaced by history. Key Details from the Script: The Forgotten Metropolis: Most historians skip straight to the fort's midnight breach, but the pete of 1791 was a massive, fortified industrial city in its own right. Inhabited by roughly 108,000 people, it featured its own water grid fed by the Dharmambudhi tank, vast granaries, and a taramandala—one of Tipu Sultan's advanced state armaments factories utilizing water- and wind-driven boring machines. Cornwallis's Two-Phase Gambit: Recognizing that the pete was the logistical heartbeat of the region, Cornwallis calculated that the fort could not be taken first. The British strategy required capturing the marketplace, grain supplies, and repair yards to feed and sustain his starving army before turning their heavy guns on the fortress walls. The Yelahanka Gate Wall of Fire: At dawn on March 7, British redcoats and Bengal sepoys hacked through jungle-like overgrowth to storm the pete. While the Doddapete barricade fell to a swift bayonet charge, the advance ground to a bloody halt at the northern Yelahanka Gate, where Mysore forces unleashed a devastating crossfire from flanking towers and residential rooftops. The Sacrifice of Colonel Moorhouse: Stranded under heavy fire, Colonel Moorhouse—the revered founder of the Madras Sappers—refused to retreat. He brought heavy 18- and 24-pounder siege cannons to point-blank range to deliver a simultaneous shattering salvo against the teak doors. Moorhouse was shot twice in the body, continued commanding, and was killed after two more balls shattered his head and chest. The Whiskers Charge: Moorhouse’s guns successfully punched a gap in the masonry just wide enough for one man. As Lieutenant Ayre squeezed through the opening first, the sidelined General Medows casually cheered him on like a spectator at a cricket match, famously shouting to the 36th Regiment Grenadiers: "Well done! Now, whiskers! Support the little gentleman!" before stepping in to take command. Brutal and Secret Urban Warfare: Once inside, the British cleared the narrow lanes, warehouses, and shops in two hours of fierce, undocumented hand-to-hand combat. Though British accounts largely omitted the grim details of the urban slaughter, the pete fell at the cost of 130 British lives, completely undermining Tipu's scorched-earth strategy by handing Cornwallis the markets and water lines he desperately needed. The Historical Error of Robert Home’s Painting: Robert Home’s masterpiece, "The Death of Colonel Moorhouse," created a centuries-long tradition claiming Moorhouse died at the eastern Ulsoor Gate. Modern historical mapping reveals this is entirely wrong; Moorhouse actually fell at the northern Yelahanka Gate, which stood where the modern Mysore Bank building stands today—miles away from the Ulsoor Gate Police Station. Tipu's Enraged Retaliation: Stunned by the rapid loss of his industrial hub, an enraged Tipu Sultan refused to concede the city. He immediately ordered a massive counterattack, dispatching an entire division from Basavanagudi under General Qamardeen Khan with strict mandates to recapture the pete at all costs. 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.
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  The British March Upon Bangalore, 1791 08.06.2026 23min

  In February 1791, Charles Cornwallis marched out of Fort St. George with a singular obsession: total redemption for his humiliating defeat at Yorktown. His target was Bangalore, the heavily fortified, stone-hewn "gatekeeper" of the Mysore plateau. But moving a massive army of twenty-one thousand troops, sixty-seven war elephants, and an unyielding battering train required an astronomical forty thousand bullocks—all racing against a strict four-month window before the monsoons turned the roads to impassable mud. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran details Cornwallis’s brilliant flanking manoeuver through the narrow Mugali Pass, a thick morning fog that brought two rival armies face-to-face, a bloody cavalry clash, and the tactical miscalculation by Tipu Sultan that brought the legendary Madras Sappers to the unbroken walls of Bangalore. Key Details from the Script: The Invisible Plaque: Hidden on the curved stone masonry of the Delhi Gate at Bangalore Fort, a tiny plaque marks the exact spot where the British broke through on March 21, 1791—an event that fundamentally birthed the cantonments and modern layout of the city today. The bustling modern road beneath it was once the fort's formidable defensive moat. The Ghost of Yorktown: Driven by the lingering shame of surrendering to George Washington a decade prior, Cornwallis refused to manage this war from a distant desk. He took personal, aggressive command from the front, determined to establish an advanced base at Bangalore to permanently break Tipu Sultan. The Logistics of an Empire: The scale of the British marching column was staggering. Accompanied by thousands of camp followers, it included a massive artillery train of eighteen-pounder siege guns—each weighing two and a half tons. Managing forty thousand bullocks that required constant fodder and water meant Cornwallis had to conquer Bangalore before the June monsoons arrived. The Mugali Pass Deception: Expecting the British to use the predictable southern entry points like the Gajalhatti Pass, Tipu Sultan concentrated his forces there. Cornwallis executed a brilliant feint, feigning south before pivoting sharply north to haul his heavy guns up the narrow Mugali Pass defile, bloodlessly placing his entire army onto the high ground of the Mysore plateau. The Vanishing Fog: As the British advanced rapidly, capturing Kolar and Hoskote, Tipu's guerrilla horsemen—the irregular "looties"—harassed their flanks under the cover of dense, blinding fog. On March 5, the mist suddenly lifted like a cinematic reveal, leaving both massive armies staring directly at one another across a narrow, unpassable marsh. A Bloody Prelude: The standoff shattered the next morning on March 6 when Tipu’s forces ambushed a British detachment. A fierce counter-charge by British cavalry was devastated by Mysorean rockets and musketry. Senior British commander Colonel Floyd was shot in the face and narrowly rescued by a corporal, leaving the British with over two hundred men dead and three hundred irreplaceable horses lost. Tipu’s Fatal Miscalculation: Believing the thick stone walls of Bangalore Fort could endure a prolonged siege that would exhaust British supplies, Tipu left the fortress under the command of his Killedar, Bahadur Khan, and 8,000 troops. Tipu retreated to Kengeri to orchestrate external ambushes. However, he failed to gauge the unique methodology of the Madras Sappers—combat engineers specialising in tunneling parallels and mapping geometric weak points. 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.
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  The Diplomatic Duel at Pune 1790 01.06.2026 19min

  Before Lord Cornwallis's army could ever march on the plateau, the outcome of the Third Anglo-Mysore War hung precariously on the decisions made inside a single room in Pune. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran takes us behind the scenes of a high-stakes diplomatic chess match. Two rival embassies—the British led by Charles Warre Malet, and Mysore led by Tipu Sultan’s top negotiators—competed fiercely for the ultimate prize: ten thousand elite Maratha cavalry riders. From nocturnal meetings with the "Maratha Machiavelli," Nana Phadnavis, to a public state humiliation and a sophisticated network of paid informants, discover how the British narrowly leveraged territorial greed against a prophetic warning to secure the Triple Alliance that sealed Bangalore's fate. Key Details from the Script: The Cavalry Mandate: Cornwallis’s approaching army was heavily encumbered by massive siege artillery required to smash the fortifications of Bangalore and Seringapatam. Moving at the slow crawl of bullock carts, they desperately needed the highly mobile Maratha cavalry to act as a defensive screen against Tipu Sultan’s fast-raiding light horsemen, known as "looties". The Nocturnal Shadow Race: The British Resident at Pune, Charles Warre Malet, spent sleepless months enduring an agonizingly prolonged negotiation process. The stakes reached a fever pitch as he literally passed Tipu’s seasoned emissaries in the streets, knowing they were holding secret midnight conferences with the Maratha administration. The Prophecy of Mysore: Tipu's seasoned diplomats, Qutub-ud-din Khan and Ali Raza Khan, arrived at court armed with fully paid-up historical debts and a shockingly accurate historical warning. They warned the Marathas that the British would never willingly stop absorbing territory, telling them: "If Mysore falls, the Marathas are next"—a prophecy that materialized exactly within thirty years. The Maratha Machiavelli: Sitting at the center of the storm was the calculating chief minister Nana Phadnavis. Acutely aware that both warring empires needed him more than he needed them, he masterfully used delays as a tactical weapon to gather intelligence, drive up the bidding war, and weigh his options. Bribery, Grievances, and Espionage: To shatter the deadlock, Malet operated aggressively within the fluid parameters of 18th-century Deccan politics. He planted active networks of informants to track internal court factions, distributed British funds to sympathetic ministers, and explicitly guaranteed that an alliance with the British was the only way to militarily recover the fertile Doab territories previously taken by Mysore. The Public Snub and Final Deal: The ultimate diplomatic crisis occurred on June 8, 1790, when the Peshwa deliberately insulted Malet by granting Tipu’s ambassadors a lavish, highly public state audience. Despite the deep personal humiliation, Malet persevered. By February 1791, the tangible promise of immediate land recovery triumphed over Tipu's risky long-term vision, cementing the ten thousand cavalry soldiers needed to safely march on Bangalore. 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.
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  The Resurrection of Charles Cornwallis 26.05.2026 20min

  One line is all we need in history records that Charles Cornwallis invaded Bangalore in 1791. But behind that single line lies a sweeping story of defeat, humiliation, and a decades-long struggle for redemption. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran charts Cornwallis's journey from his agonizing, ghosted surrender to George Washington at Yorktown to his arrival in India as a powerful, dual-mandate ruler. When the initial British campaign of 1790 crumbles under the brilliant guerrilla tactics of Tipu Sultan, Cornwallis realizes he cannot run a war from a desk in Calcutta. Stepping into the field himself, he gathers a massive force, bypasses Tipu’s traps, and sets his sights squarely on his first major objective on the plateau: the fortified arsenal town of Bangalore. Key Details from the Script: The Stain of Yorktown: On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis skipped his own surrender ceremony to George Washington, claiming illness and sending a subordinate to hand over his sword—cementing his status as the face of a historic national disgrace. The Trenton Irony: A decade before Cornwallis marched into Mysore to fight Tipu, his father Hyder Ali was celebrated as a hero in revolutionary America; during victory toasts in New Jersey, toast number eleven was explicitly dedicated to Hyder Ali. The "Incorruptible" Nobleman: Despite losing the American colonies, Cornwallis used his aristocratic lineage to rebuild his career, famously earning a reputation for absolute integrity by repeatedly denying corrupt financial favors to the Prince of Wales. The 1790 Failure: The war's opening phase under General William Medows was an utter disaster for the British. Tipu used the monsoon terrain and fast-moving light cavalry ("looties") to run circles around the British, leaving over a thousand colonial soldiers sick before a major battle was even fought. The Masterstroke Strategy: Realizing his generals were thoroughly outmatched, Cornwallis arrived in Madras in December 1790 to take personal command. He consolidated 21,000 troops and planned a surprise flanking maneuver through the rugged Mugali Pass to bypass Tipu’s scorched-earth defenses. Bangalore First: Cornwallis understood the geography perfectly; to open the road to Tipu's capital at Seringapatam, he first had to conquer the critical fortified hinge and arsenal town of Bangalore. 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.
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  Tipu and the Travancore Trigger: 1789 18.05.2026 20min

  The five-year peace between Mysore and the East India Company was never a truce; it was simply a race to rearm. Ramjee Chandran breaks down the high-stakes geopolitical chess match that shattered the Treaty of Mangalore. Enter Lord Charles Cornwallis, a general eager to erase the shame of his surrender to George Washington at Yorktown. When the small state of Travancore strategically provokes Tipu Sultan by purchasing two Dutch forts, the "Tiger of Mysore" is forced to defend his vital lifeline to the sea. Discover how a dispute over a thorn-filled ditch and a frantic farcical hiding game by the Raja of Cochin unleashed the formidable Triple Alliance—setting the stage for the Third Anglo-Mysore War and the eventual landlocking of Tipu's empire. Key Details from the Script: The Looming Shadow of Bangalore: During the five years of uneasy peace following 1784, Tipu heavily fortified Bangalore—transforming it into an essential garrison town, arsenal, and the ultimate strategic hinge between the Carnatic plains and the Mysorean interior. Cornwallis’s Mandate: Arriving in 1786, Lord Cornwallis found a disorganized Madras Presidency. Haunted by his defeat in the American War of Independence, he was impatient to neutralize Tipu but required a legitimate casus belli (justification for war) to void the existing treaty. The Provocation: In 1789, the British-aligned Kingdom of Travancore purchased two Dutch forts (Cranganore and Ayacottah) that sat in territory subordinate to Mysore. This commercial deal effectively placed a British-protected enclave right on Tipu’s western flank, threatening his only access to global maritime trade and French assistance. The Anxious Farce: Sensing the impending storm, the Raja of Cochin (a Mysore vassal) tried to avoid choosing sides. When Tipu summoned him, the Raja feigned illness and locked himself in a room to escape Tipu's visiting minister. The Invasion: On December 29, 1789, diplomatic patience expired. Tipu breached the defensive lines of Travancore. By April 1790, he launched a full-scale invasion, dismantling their fortifications and sending 200 captured cannons back to Bangalore. The Triple Alliance: Cornwallis seized his trigger. Through the relentless backroom diplomacy of British Resident Charles Warre Malet in Pune, the British successfully bought, flattered, and maneuvered the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad into a massive, multi-front coalition against a structurally isolated Mysore. 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.
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  The Darkest Chapter of Tipu Sultan: The Malabar Atrocities 11.05.2026 19min

  How does a man transition from a "flogged prince" to a revolutionary sovereign? Ramjee Chandran explores the formative trauma and brilliant administrative mind of Tipu Sultan. Following the death of Hyder Ali, Tipu inherited a state designed for perpetual war and set about the impossible task of making it thrive in peace. From the public humiliation that defined his sense of discipline to the creation of a "modern" bureaucracy that even the British would eventually copy, this episode reveals Tipu as a "scientist-king" operating in a feudal world—a ruler who demanded absolute obedience because he had felt the lash of it himself. Key Details from the Script: The Public Flogging: In 1771, a teenage Tipu was publicly whipped on Hyder Ali’s orders for disobeying military commands during a battle. The act was calculated "theatre" to prove that military discipline superseded blood loyalty. Fiscal Revolution: Tipu systematically dismantled the palegar system—hereditary chieftains who had acted as semi-independent despots—and replaced them with a salaried, accountable bureaucracy. The Peasant's Win: By removing middleman corruption, Tipu nearly doubled state revenues while actually reducing the tax burden on individual peasants. The British Debt: British officials like Thomas Munro were so impressed by Tipu’s revenue system that they used it as the foundation for the colonial Ryotwari settlement across South India. The Scientist-King: Unlike his illiterate father, Tipu was an intellectual who spoke four languages, owned a 2,000-volume library, and entertained (or terrified) British officers with demonstrations of electricity and physics. Ending the Fiction: In 1786, Tipu abandoned the charade of Wadiyar rule, formally declaring himself sovereign and eventually winding up the institution of the Maharaja altogether by 1796. 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.
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  When Tipu Sultan was Flogged in Public: Lessons from a Father 04.05.2026 21min

  How does a man transition from a "flogged prince" to a revolutionary sovereign? Ramjee Chandran explores the formative trauma and brilliant administrative mind of Tipu Sultan. Following the death of Hyder Ali, Tipu inherited a state designed for perpetual war and set about the impossible task of making it thrive in peace. From the public humiliation that defined his sense of discipline to the creation of a "modern" bureaucracy that even the British would eventually copy, this episode reveals Tipu as a "scientist-king" operating in a feudal world—a ruler who demanded absolute obedience because he had felt the lash of it himself. Key Details from the Script: The Public Flogging: In 1771, a teenage Tipu was publicly whipped on Hyder Ali’s orders for disobeying military commands during a battle. The act was calculated "theatre" to prove that military discipline superseded blood loyalty. Fiscal Revolution: Tipu systematically dismantled the palegar system—hereditary chieftains who had acted as semi-independent despots—and replaced them with a salaried, accountable bureaucracy. The Peasant's Win: By removing middleman corruption, Tipu nearly doubled state revenues while actually reducing the tax burden on individual peasants. The British Debt: British officials like Thomas Munro were so impressed by Tipu’s revenue system that they used it as the foundation for the colonial Ryotwari settlement across South India. The Scientist-King: Unlike his illiterate father, Tipu was an intellectual who spoke four languages, owned a 2,000-volume library, and entertained (or terrified) British officers with demonstrations of electricity and physics. Ending the Fiction: In 1786, Tipu abandoned the charade of Wadiyar rule, formally declaring himself sovereign and eventually winding up the institution of the Maharaja altogether by 1796. 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.
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  The Loneliness of Tipu Sultan: No Friends, Only Followers 28.04.2026 20min

  In this deeply personal episode, Ramjee Chandran looks past the battlefield to the man on the throne. Tipu Sultan was perhaps the most forward-thinking ruler of his age—a man of strong contrasts—yet he remained fundamentally alone. Discover Tipu's desperate, decade-long diplomatic quest to find allies in Versailles, Istanbul, and Cairo. From the "citoyen" who looked to Revolutionary France to the tragic intercepted letter from Napoleon Bonaparte, this episode explores the structural isolation that defined Tipu’s reign and the bitter truth that while he had many followers, he had no true friends to warn him when the walls began to crumble. Key Details from the Script: The Diplomatic Desert: Unlike his father, who managed a "Grand Alliance," Tipu found himself isolated as the Marathas and the Nizam shifted toward the British. Global Ambition: Tipu sent grand embassies to the Ottoman Sultan in Istanbul and King Louis XVI in Versailles, seeking military alliances and trade links that never fully materialized. The Napoleon Connection: Napoleon Bonaparte actually wrote a letter to Tipu from Cairo in 1799, promising to liberate him from the British. However, the British intercepted it, and Tipu died never knowing how close his "alliance" had come. Technological Modernizer: The script highlights Tipu’s "state trading corporation" with offices in Oman and Kutch, his 2,000-volume library, and his use of windmills to bore cannon barrels. The "Jacobin" Sultan: Tipu’s fascination with the French Revolution led to the "Jacobin Club of Mysore," where he was reportedly addressed as "Citizen Tipu," though the alliance was more symbolic than strategic. The Bitter End: Tipu’s loneliness was his undoing. As Ramjee notes, "when the walls fell, the followers surrendered or fled. The friends—had there been any—might have warned him." 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.
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  The End of the Second Anglo-Mysore War 19.04.2026 22min

  The Second Anglo-Mysore War did not end only with a British loss, but with a scene that the East India Company would spend decades trying to erase from history. Ramjee Chandran explores the final months of the conflict, where Tipu Sultan—now the sovereign of Mysore—forced the British to their knees on the coast of Mangalore. Discover the internal power struggle between the Madras and Bengal Presidencies, the "unqualified surrender" of British prestige, and the dying warning Hyder Ali left for his son: that the British were an enemy that could not be negotiated with, only endured. This episode marks the peak of Tipu's power and the beginning of his absolute isolation. Key Details from the Script: Tipu’s Baptism: Taking command in 1782, Tipu inherited a war that was already two years old. He didn't just maintain his father's momentum; he intensified it, focusing on the strategically vital Malabar Coast. The Siege of Mangalore: For nine months, Tipu pinned down a British garrison. When they finally surrendered due to starvation and disease, Tipu dictated the terms from a position of absolute strength. The "Commissioners of Peace": Lord Macartney, Governor of Madras, sent three commissioners to Tipu’s camp. In a massive blow to British ego, Tipu made them wait for days and treated them as petitioners rather than equals. The Treaty of Mangalore (1784): This was the last time an Indian power dictated terms to the British. It required the mutual restitution of all conquests and the release of all prisoners, essentially resetting the clock but leaving the British humiliated. Warren Hastings’ Fury: The Governor-General in Bengal was so outraged by the "humiliating" terms signed by Madras that he tried to repudiate the treaty, calling it a "hollow and injurious peace." Hyder’s Dying Words: Tipu entered this peace with his father’s final clarity: "I cannot dry up the sea." He knew the British would return to reclaim their lost credibility. 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. © 2026 Ramjee Chandran. All right reserved.
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  The Death of Hyder Ali 16.04.2026 16min

  Season 3 begins with a heartbeat that has stopped, but a war that refuses to pause. Ramjee Chandran reveals the high-stakes drama following the death of Hyder Ali in December 1782. While his body lay cold, his inner circle—led by the brilliant minister Purniah—staged an elaborate deception to keep the army from fragmenting. Follow the 400-mile desperate ride of Tipu Sultan as he races to claim his inheritance before the British, or his own rivals, can seize the moment. This is the story of how a kingdom held its breath for days, and how the "Military Capital" of Bangalore prepared for its most enigmatic ruler. Key Details from the Script: The Final Illness: Hyder Ali succumbed to a "cancerous ulcer" or carbuncle on his back on December 7, 1782, near Chittoor. The Great Deception: To prevent a mutiny or a British advance, Hyder’s death was kept a state secret. His body was embalmed and placed in a sealed palanquin, while servants continued to deliver "meals" and "medicines" to his tent. Purniah’s Gamble: The Brahmin minister Purniah was the architect of the stability, managing the army’s payroll and movements for days to ensure a smooth transition of power. The Race for the Throne: Tipu Sultan was 400 miles away on the Malabar Coast when he received the secret summons. He performed an incredible feat of endurance, riding night and day to reach the main camp. The Transition: When Tipu finally arrived, the secret was broken. He was hailed as the new ruler not just by right of birth, but by the sheer force of his presence and the loyalty his father had cultivated in the troops. Legacy of a Lion: The episode reflects on Hyder’s transformation of Bangalore from a provincial town into a stone-fortified, industrialized military pivot celebrated as far away as Philadelphia and the nascent United States. 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.
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  The Coveted City - A Recap 1537 - 1780: Season 2 Finale 30.03.2026 17min

  In the grand Season 2 finale, Ramjee Chandran takes a step back from the smoke of the Carnatic wars to look at the 243-year journey of Bangalore itself. From a quiet granite plateau granted to a minor chieftain named Kempe Gowda in 1537, to the formidable "military capital" of 1780, discover why this city became the ultimate prize in Southern India. This episode bridges the gap between the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire and the rise of the Mysorean military machine, setting the stage for the dramatic death of Hyder Ali and the high-stakes inheritance of Tipu Sultan. Key Details from the Script: The Long Arc: Season 2 spans 243 years, tracing the evolution of Bangalore from an empty plateau to the hub of a 90,000-man army. Geographic Defiance: Bangalore lacked a major river or natural harbor, yet it became essential because of its "strategic intentionality"—it was a city built by design, not by accident. The Military Machine: By 1780, the city hosted a massive arsenal at Taramandalapete, French hussars, and a sophisticated rocket corps that nearly broke the British East India Company. A Contested Prize: Every power in southern India—the Marathas, the Mughals, the British, and the Mysoreans—eventually decided they could not afford to leave Bangalore in anyone else's hands. The Secret of the Palanquin: The episode teases the start of Season 3: Hyder Ali is dead, but his ministers are keeping it a secret, transporting his body in a closed palanquin as if he were merely resting. Tipu's Inheritance: The season ends with Tipu Sultan inheriting a war and a set of enemies that will give him "no quarter and no time." 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.
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  The War That Shook an Empire: The Second Anglo-Mysore War, Part 2 29.03.2026 15min

  At sixty years old, Hyder Ali was no longer just a soldier; he was a force of nature. In this episode, Ramjee Chandran tracks the devastating opening of the Second Anglo-Mysore War. From the massive descent of 90,000 men from the Bangalore plateau to the absolute shattering of British prestige at the Battle of Pollilur, Mysore reached the zenith of its military power. But as the "scorched earth" of the Carnatic glowed with the fires of war, a deadlier enemy was emerging from within. Discover the tactical brilliance of the Mysore rocket corps and the high-stakes secret that Hyder’s inner circle desperately tried to hide as the season builds to its dramatic conclusion. Key Details from the Script: A Massive Force: Hyder led 28,000 cavalry and 62,000 infantry down from the Mysore plateau—the largest and most disciplined army the region had ever seen. The Battle of Pollilur (Sept 1780): In what is cited as the most severe defeat ever suffered by the British in India, Hyder and Tipu intercepted and annihilated Colonel Baillie’s detachment. The Rocket Factor: The Mysore rocket corps played a decisive role at Pollilur, causing a British ammunition tumbril to explode, which triggered the final collapse of their square formation. Global Echoes: The news of the British defeat at Pollilur was so significant it was celebrated as far away as the United States, where the "Rebels" saw Hyder Ali as a fellow traveler in the fight against British imperialism. Scorched Earth: Hyder employed a brutal "circle of desolation" strategy around Madras, destroying all forage and supplies to ensure the British remained "marooned" within their own fortifications. The Terminal Secret: Amidst the campaigning, Hyder developed a "cancerous ulcer" (likely a carbuncle). His inner circle kept his failing health a total secret to prevent mutiny or the collapse of the "Grand Alliance." 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.