Bangalore: the early city, AD 1537-1799

Abstract

The aim of this study is to reach an understanding of the development of the city of Bangalore, focusing on the architecture and settlement pattern of its earliest urban area, the Pētē and the oval Fort. It attempts to identify the nature of the cultures underlying the architecture of the city by tracing the development chronologically from its establishment in the 16th century to its fortification and expansion during the rule of Hyder Ali (r. 1761-1782 AD) and Tipu Sultan (r. 1782 – 1799 AD), explaining various functional aspects affecting the form of the city, notably the shift in the character of the Pētē from a largely mercantile settlement to a military one. The city can be described as a melting pot of cultures and resultant built forms, growing from a small town to a city in a short span of time. The analysis, set within a framework of urban design theory, is built upon original documentation based on archival documents, including maps and drawings, and on fieldwork involving sketches, a photographic survey, and discussions with relevant authorities.
 A historical survey (Chapter 1) based largely on secondary sources provides the context for the discussion of urban and architectural developments. The early urban development of Bangalore is treated in Chapter 2, which shows the importance of zones or ‘sub-Pētēs’, apparently from as early as the 16th century, and certainly apparent in 18th-century maps. Finally, Chapter 3 focuses on the architecture of significant buildings from the period in question in and around the Pētē area.
 The changing built form of the city from that of primarily Hindu to one that incorporates Islamic influences has been discussed through the documentation of the surviving structures, temples, Palace and oval Fort. That the principal axiality of the Pētē continues to influence the layout of the city is noteworthy.