Visitor Information
- Famous For: Tourism, Cannon, Historical significance, Heritage.
- Entrance Fee: For adults and children who are Indian citizen, the entrance fee to the Gol Gumbaz inside which the great cannon is located is 10 INR per head. For foreigners, the entry fee is slightly higher at 100 INR per head.
- Visiting Time: Gol Gumbaz opens at 10:00 am in the morning and closes at 6:00 pm in the evening on all the days of the week. It is open on all days except public holidays.
- Visit Duration: Approximately an hour. If you want to take a thorough tour, it may take a little longer.
Regarded as the biggest cannon ever made in the history of world, Malik-e-Maidan, which translates to ‘The Ruler of the Plains’, it is one of the most visited tourist spots in the country. Located in Gol Gumbaz, the largest masonry dome in the whole of India, the history related to the cannon is more than enough to tempt the travelers to pay a visit to this place.
Traveler Tips
- Do not touch the historical cannon or any other article kept in the vicinity of the cannon as it is strictly prohibited.
- Do not carry any food items or plastic bags inside the monument. It is important to maintain the cleanliness of the place.
Things to Do
- Detailed information about the cannon can be known from the guides present outside the fort.
- Go for a walk around the monument to look at the various architectural aspects of the place.
Availability of Guides
There are ample number of guides present outside the Gol Gumbaz who have a very thorough knowledge about the history of the place. It is advisable to visit with a guide.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to travel is between March and September as the summers are pleasing in this part of the country. The winters are quite chilly and are accompanied by rainfall due to retreating monsoon. So, the period between October and February should be avoided to enjoy a good trip.
How to Reach
The nearest airport to the Malik-e-Maidan is the Solapur Airport which is around 100km from the destination. From the airport, buses and cabs are available which ply to and fro between the airport and the rich cultural heritage site.
In case you are willing to travel by train, the nearest railway station is Bijapur station located at around 4 kilometer from the destination. You can take auto or bus from the station. The second nearest station is Solapur Railway Station which is around 93 kilometers from the destination,
Interesting Facts and Trivia About Malik-e-Maidan
- The great cannon Malik-e-Maidan has an astonishing diameter of 1.5 meters and weighs close to 55 tons. The diameter and weight of the cannon are good enough to tell about the enormous size of this cannon.
- It is the largest medieval weapon in the world.
- The cannon is made up of alloy of tin, iron and copper. The outer surface of the cannon is polished and is dark green in colour.
- The Magistrate of Bijapur had ended up selling this giant cannon in 1854. In the auction arranged to sell this off, the cannon was captured at meager Rs. 150. However, the auction was called off later.
- There are many inscriptions on the cannon which tell us about the history of the cannon and how the ownership of the cannon changed hands.
- The cannon was built by a Turkish officer named Muhammad-bin Hassan Rumi of the Ahmednagar kingdom.
- Aurangzeb had captured the cannon in 1686 according to one of the inscriptions on the cannon.
- The cannon was installed at Fort Parnadah, which later came under the control of Bijapur Kingdom. On capturing the fort, General Murari Pandit took the cannon to Bijapur as a war trophy and set it up at the roof of the Bijapur fort.
- 400 oxen, 10 elephants and thousands of soldiers were required to carry the cannon and install it at Bijapur fort.
- According to the legends, the sound produced on firing the gun was so loud that the person who set it alight had to jump into a small water filled pit which was made next to the cannon to avoid damage to his ears.
- The great Muzzle of the cannon has been made into the shape of a lion with open jaws and between the sharp curved fangs lies a small elephant each on both sides of the muzzle.
- In the holes, small ears have been drilled so that tackles can be attached to it.
Nearby Attractions
- Bijapur Fort
- Gol Gumbaz
- Bara Kaman
- Satth Kabar
- Meenakshi Chowk
- Upli Burj
- Sri Jyotiba Dev Sthan
- Sri Ambey Bhawani Temple
- Jamia Masjid – Markaz
- Mahalakshmi Temple
Nearby Restaurants
- Niyaz Hotel Restaurant
- Bangalore Restaurant
- Hotel Everest Restaurant
- The Sigdi
- Hotel Ruchi Restaurant
- Sagar Restaurant
- Shreya Restaurant
- Bijapur Café Restaurant
- Sheetal Hotel
- Chowdhury Hotel Restaurant
So, the biggest medieval weapon speaks highly about the cultural heritage and shows presence of resources in abundance during the medieval period. If you are planning a trip to Karnataka, try to visit this exotic site of heritage of India.
