science

Thanjavur cannon

Thanjavur cannon is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Thanjavur cannon rather than just read about it. In short: The Thanjavur cannon is one of the largest early modern cannons located in Thanjavur, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. Location The Thanjavur cannon, also known as Rajagopala Beerangi, is a massive cannon kept on a mount in Beerangi Medu, Thanjavur, on the east rampart of the Thanjavur Fort.

Key takeaways

Thanjavur cannon belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Thanjavur cannon to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Thanjavur cannon from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Thanjavur cannon is one of the largest early modern cannons located in Thanjavur, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India.

Location The Thanjavur cannon, also known as Rajagopala Beerangi, is a massive cannon kept on a mount in Beerangi Medu, Thanjavur, on the east rampart of the Thanjavur Fort. It is located at the heart of the city and located very near to the Peruvudaiyaar Temple. Autos and buses are available to reach the place where it is kept.

Specialities It was made with cutting-edge technology of its time. The high standard of iron and steel technology in ancient and medieval India is reflected in the manufacture and use of numerous large iron objects, including forge-welded cannons. Such cannons are found in Murshidabad, Dacca (in Bangladesh), Bijapur, Gulbarga, and Thanjavur. Based on its weight and size, the cannon at Thanjavur is regarded as one of the largest forge-welded iron cannons in the world. It takes fourth place in the list of Largest Cannons fired in the World History. It was named "Rajagopala Beerangi (Cannon)", but is popularly known as "Daasimettu Beerangi". It is placed on an elevated (25’high) defense barricade at the Eastern Rampart. The cannon was cast in 1620 at Kollumedu. The metallurgical skills displayed speak volumes of the people in 17th century. It is said that Tamils' technical know how was used to cast the cannon. It was mounted in 1620 CE when Raghunatha Nayak ruled Thanjavur.

Composition The over 400 year-old cannon, though exposed to sun and rain, has not rusted so far. It is 26 feet long and weighs 20 tonnes. It is forge welded and has not been made by casting. Its outer circle is 300 cm in diameter, while the inner circle is 150 cm in diameter. The inside of the barrel is made of 43 long iron plates and the outer of 94 iron rings. To lift the cannon, eight rings were attached on top, but only two survive today. It can fire a 1000 kg iron cannonball.

Operation This cannon was used in 1650 during the Nayak period to protect Thanjavur from enemies entering through the East Gate of the town. From the site, one can see the Sarja madi (seven-floor structure) and the Arsenal tower of Nayak Palace on the western side.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Thanjavur cannon

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Thanjavur cannon claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Thanjavur cannon before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Thanjavur cannon ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Thanjavur cannon

In research: Thanjavur cannon appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Thanjavur cannon in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Thanjavur cannon is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Artillery of India, Indian inventions, Individual cannons, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Thanjavur cannon outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Thanjavur cannon in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Thanjavur cannon means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Thanjavur cannon out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Thanjavur cannon in simple terms?

The Thanjavur cannon is one of the largest early modern cannons located in Thanjavur, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. Location The Thanjavur cannon, also known as Rajagopala Beerangi, is a massive cannon kept on a mount in Beerangi Medu, Thanjavur, on the east rampart of the Thanjavur Fort.

Why does Thanjavur cannon matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Thanjavur cannon?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Thanjavur cannon.