VANGUARDS OF ARMY: They will be exhibited at recently-inaugurated Deogiri fort museum
They were among the vanguards of the army during the medieval era, spitting fire at the enemies, and shaping the outcome of battles. Now, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has unveiled its first such museum at the Daulatabad (Deogiri) fort, where tourist and history afficandoes will be able to see these cannons and artillery pieces mounted for display.
These cannons, which were otherwise kept on the bastions and towers of the impregnable Yadava-era fort or in reserve, have been mounted on stone masonry pedestals. These artillery pieces have different sizes, shapes and designs, and animal and human faces on their muzzles.
M Nambirajan, regional director (western region), ASI, said this display, which was inaugurated recently, would be their first such open-air gallery showcasing cannons.
Dilip Kumar Khamari, superintending archaeologist, ASI, said they had placed around 53 cannons, of which two were cast in Amsterdam in 1638 and 1642 (and imported from there), in the open air gallery for display, while the remaining have been kept in-situ on the ramparts, walls and bastions.
"We have a rich collection of 269 cannons of different varieties… we thought of having this gallery due to the high tourist footfalls on the fort," he explained.
These cannons can be categorised into shaturnal, narnal and gajnal, meaning those which can be carried by horses, soldiers, and elephants respectively.
However, an archaeologist said these cannons should have been mounted on wooden carriages as was done in that period rather than stone masonry works. "There are miniature paintings showing these wooden carriages used to carry cannons in that era. This would have been more realistic and aesthetically appealing," he explained.
The Daulatabad fort has unique pieces of artillery like a seven-bore gun, an 'Aurangpasand' cannon named after Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, a 'Mendha' cannon, with the head of a ram on the muzzle, and a cannon bearing Persian inscriptions of Dara Shukoh, who was Auranzeb's elder brother and the Durga cannon.
Cannons were first said to be used by the first Mughal emperor Babur against Ibrahim Lodi in the first Battle of Panipat in 1520.
Khamari said they were creating some "breakpoints" or rest places for tourists to rest while climbing the hill. The ASI also plans to restore the various water fountains on the fort.
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