Metro dig unearths 12-ft Tipu cannon

Mangalore Today/ DHNS

Bangalore, Nov 22: Workers digging the ground for Bangalore Metro line at K R Market in the early hours of Thursday, stumbled upon a 12-feet cannon and a cannon ball belonging to Tipu Sultan era.

 

Keshava T M, the deputy  superintending archeologist, excavation branch of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), who examined the cannon after being informed of the find, said the gun was made of iron and belonged to the 18th century.

“While the cannon weighs more than a tonne, the cannon ball is around 10 kg. The muzzle of the cannon is nearly 3/4th of its entire length,” Keshava said.

He said the significance of the find could only be known after complete excavation and examination.  “In this case too, we still have to study few details to get to know the cannon in depth such as the capacity of the gun powder that was used, the length of fuse point, muzzle mouldings, etc. Such type of findings are usually collected and put in the museum by the government. The cannon needs to be chemically cleaned first and then shifted to the museum by the state government. There could be more such archeological finds in future as the site is located in the old Bangalore.”

Many curious onlookers gathered at the spot to have a glance at the ancient gun.
T P Prasanna Kumar, a historian who was present at the spot, said: “I got a call from the archeological department about the cannon and rushed to the spot. The area is a historical site surrounded by several places of importance. The government should see to it that these historical treasures are properly preserved and safeguarded.”

The archeological artefact was found four metres below the ground. An employee from Tipu Palace under the condition of anonymity said: “We are all really happy that something belonging to the Tipu era has been found. We are just hoping that the unearthed things lands up in the museum in the right condition.”
DH News Service