Friday, August 18, 2017

Vijayapura Trip: Malik-e-Maidan

Date: 12th Aug 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Timing: None.

Fee: None.

Parking: Road side.

Food: Available nearby.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Upli Buruj.

The next interesting attraction in Bijapur is Malik-e-Maidan, the Monarch of the plains. The canon weighing 55 tons is the largest of its kind. The canon is currently placed on the Sherzi Bastion. The canon was cast at Ahmadnagar in 1549 by Turkish officer Muhammed Bin Hasan Rumi of Burhan Nizam Shah I kingdom. There are multiple theories on how and when the canon was brought to Bijapur. However it was believed that 10 elephants, 1400 oxen and many men were involved in moving this piece of metal.


The canon played a decisive role in the battle of Talaikot in 1565 which brought the mighty Vijayanagar empire down.

The muzzle is shaped like a lion with open jaws and two elephants crushed between the jaws.

The canon has couple of inscriptions of which one was cut in Persian by Aurangzeb after he captured Bijapur. Part of inscription translates to "He subdued the master of the fields".

The difficulty of carrying the heavy object to sea shore prevented the Britishers from taking it to their country.

The picture cannot bring out the real size of the canon. We were awestruck when we looked at this first.

The well maintained garden in front of Malik-e-Maidan.

We were here.

Next on list is Upli Buruj, 260m from here.

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