The Story of Dalmadal—Bishnupur’s Historic Defender
- Ranu Das
- Dec 2, 2025
- 2 min read
Bishnupur is a small and peaceful town in Bengal, known for its beautiful terracotta and stone temples. These many temples show how deeply the people of Bishnupur—and Bengal—have been connected to God and religious traditions for a long time.
Along with its terracotta temples, Bishnupur also has the Dalmadal Cannon. Do you know the history of this cannon? How did it protect Bishnupur?
Let’s find out.
The Dalmadal Cannon is located in Bishnupur, a town in the Bankura district of West Bengal. It stands near several other famous temples and historical spots that are known for their beautiful architecture and rich culture.
According to the locals, this cannon was fired by Lord Krishna in his form as Madanmohan. At that time, Bishnupur was the kingdom of the brave Malla kings. In the 18th century, the Marathas, led by Bhaskar Pandit, began attacking Bishnupur. With no other way out, King Gopal Krishna Dev turned helplessly to Madanmohan for help. The deity answered his desperate prayer.
Madanmohan took the form of a young boy and defeated the Bargis. Since then, the cannon came to be known as Dalmardan. The word ‘dal’ means enemy, and ‘mardan’ means destroyer. Over time, the name changed slightly and became Dalmadal.
Dal Madal Kaman is one of the largest-bored cannons ever made. It was built during the reign of Bir Hambir demonstrating the skill of artisans of 1742. Dal Madal was made by Jagannath Karmakar. The literal meaning of “Dal Madal” is “destruction of enemy”. This huge cannon or Kaman is an example of bravery, spirit & artisan of the Malla Kings. The cannon is 3.8 Mtr long & more than 12 MT in weight and made with a cost of more than Rs. 1.25 lacs at that time.
The site is well maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, and a board displaying the history and measurements of the cannon has been placed in front of it. The cannon is kept inside an enclosure, which attracts many tourists from distant places. If you ever visit Bishnupur, don’t miss the chance to see this historic treasure.
