Malik-i-Maidan, One of the World’s Largest Cannons, 1880 Photo
An 1880 photo showing one of the world’s largest battlefield cannons, the Malik-i-Maidan Cannon of Bijapur. It is one of the largest medieval cannons ever cast and remains among the most famous artillery pieces in India. Built in 1549 and later brought to Bijapur by the Adil Shahi rulers. Bijapur is also famous for the Gol Gumbaz mausoleum, which was dedicated to Muhammad Adil Shah.
The massive bronze cannon measures over four meters in length and weighs around 55 tonnes, with 5 feet bore. The cannon’s decorative front features a fierce mythical beast swallowing an elephant, symbolizing power and military might. Its name, meaning “Monarch of the Plain,” reflects the awe it inspired on the battlefields of the Deccan.
Today, the Malik-i-Maidan stands atop the historic Bijapur Fort in Karnataka. The cannon’s enormous muzzle, often photographed with a person curled inside for scale (as shown in the image), highlights its extraordinary size. As one of Bijapur’s most celebrated historical attractions, it continues to draw historians, tourists, and heritage enthusiasts interested in the military history of medieval India.
Read more Malik-e-Maidan, Bijapur.
Did you know- despite its immense weight, the cannon was moved across the Deccan during the 16th century—a major engineering feat for the era.
