Sikh armaments (historical)

[dsingh]

SORRY IT WAS COPPER BALLS I GOT WRONG BUTTONS PRESSED.

[dsingh]

DUE TO PROBLEMS IN MY SYSTEM SOME of the improper wording is coming I regret it is copper balls

[sa_ali]

thats not a problem bro, its the way the system has been designed, it replaces those words , u typed perfect

[dsingh]

Dear friends, some of the guns were exclusivly indian invention .One such gun is ZAMBURAH BIG MUSKET used by more than more than one person which could fire a 2-4 pound ball upto 1km this musket is believed to be personal invention of AKBAR he used this gun single handed during the first battle of CHITTOR to SHOOT THE COMMANDER OF RAJPUT FORCES. This arm was one of most favourite weapon of sikh forces later britishers started manufaturing it used it even in battles outside india . Another weapon in armouryof sikhs was small pistol which was put to good use during wars with AFGHANS UNDER AHMAD SHAH ABDALI DURING LIGHTNING RAIDS IN HIS CAMPS. Another surprise unnamed weapon was the GOLEBAZ term used for handler using it this term has been used by many newsletters even by euorpeans. yes it is true TIPU SULTAN USED ROCKETS DURING HIS WARS WITH BRITISHERS. Unfortunately very litle has been publicised . I have seen some of the sikh guns in PAONTA SHAIB ten years back these were execellent but 2years back when i went there I found 3 to 4 guns r missing I knew later these were stolen these missing guns looked had nice lever to lock and unlock them.

[dsingh]

dear friends , Iam giving following types of guns used by sikhs during 17- 19th century yhese are as follows 1Zamburahs the big musket available at museum at DUBAR SHAIB AMRITSAR. 2 17TH CENTURY PISTOL at the AKAL TAKTH belonging to 6TH SIKH GURU HARGOIND JI very light looking beter than 19th and 18th century pistols. 3 DOBBLE BARREL SHOT GUN belonging to GURU GOBIND SINGH at DAMDAMA SHAIB IN BATHINDA DISTRICT presented by a local gunmaker. These are the some of weapons i have seen iwill write more on next time . thanksl .

[mehulkamdar]

DSingh,

Not trying to demean anyone's achievements, but your reference to the Vizianagaram-Bahamani wars is completely off if you say that they used indigenous firearms. The Portuguese played predecessors to the world's BAsil Zaharofs and Adnan Khashoggis by several centuries in arming both sides during that conflict.

Also, while there were fine small arms and cannon made in several parts of India, the fact clearly is that the west was significantly more advanced at any comparable time in the history of the gun. Legend is all right when you want to read through Amar Chitra Kathas as a 9 year old, it does not take much effort to understand that if, indeed, Indian equipment was significantly more advanced than what the west had to offer, India would not have ended up being conquered by invader after invader until 1947.

As I suggested, please try to read up on an independent history of firearms and then try to shoot some old guns as well as new ones - you would have to go either to Europe or come to the US to do that. And, believe me, you would have real fun if you did this.

[Yaj]

Mehul I think the Vijaynagar referred to is different from Vizianagaram.
Regards,
Yaj.

[mehulkamdar]

Yaj,

The Vizianagaram led by Krishnadeva Raya? Which fought the Bahamani sultans from Bijapur? Which was completely destroyed by the Bahamani kingdoms and you now have a new city with the same name in Andhra Pradesh?

[dsingh]

DSingh,

Not trying to demean anyone's achievements, but your reference to the Vizianagaram-Bahamani wars is completely off if you say that they used indigenous firearms. The Portuguese played predecessors to the world's BAsil Zaharofs and Adnan Khashoggis by several centuries in arming both sides during that conflict.

Also, while there were fine small arms and cannon made in several parts of India, the fact clearly is that the west was significantly more advanced at any comparable time in the history of the gun. Legend is all right when you want to read through Amar Chitra Kathas as a 9 year old, it does not take much effort to understand that if, indeed, Indian equipment was significantly more advanced than what the west had to offer, India would not have ended up being conquered by invader after invader until 1947.

As I suggested, please try to read up on an independent history of firearms and then try to shoot some old guns as well as new ones - you would have to go either to Europe or come to the US to do that. And, believe me, you would have real fun if you did this.

no sir, BAHAMANI kingdom were divided into BIJAPUR, BIDAR, GOLCONDA, BERAR. Iam just correcting you these facts are not taken from AMAR CHITRA KATHAIN but from books writen by scholars after years of hard work ND from volumes fromINDIAN HITORY CONGRESS each book is of 2000-3000 pages. Myth of EUROPEAN INVINCIBILITY WAS BROKEN IN BATTLE OF CHITTAGONG DURING AURANGJEB reign when ROYAL BRITISH NAVY FOR THE FIRST TIME FOUGHT A BATTLE WITH A NATIVE POWER LAND BASED HEAVY MUGHAL GUNS FIRST DESTROYED THE LAND FORCES THEN SANK 35 SHIPS OF BRITISH NAVY THE BRITISH KINGDOM CLEVERLY DISOWNED ITS FORCES ACTION and AURANGZEB MADE THE MISTAKE OF GRANTING AMENSTY TO BRITISHERS.Mughal general was SAISHTA KHAN. euopeans demarked coastline border with reach of caon ball during 19th century their canons could not fire more than 5 kms . Firearms originated from ASIA from CHINA AND ASIAN TUKISH EMPIRE COSISTING OF HUGH PARTS OF CENTRAL ASIA AND SIANKING PROVINCE OF CHINA. The European came to know about the firearms during 100 years war. Sir it is not only arms which decides the war but the men behind the machines while Britishers lost heavily in first AFGHAN WAR in 1839 out of 20,000 BRITISH TROOPS just 3 saved themselves . Doring thrid AFGHAN WARin1919 times of WORLD WAR I 90,000 BRITISH TROOPS Twere routed while BRITISHERS WERE THE WINNING side in war . During nepal wars BRISHERS WERE DEFEATED BY GORKHAS ARMED with just KHUKRIS AND SPEARS. Indians were betrayed by their own brethen and by superior milatary tactics. I admit in light arms europeans were better but in heavy arms Indians were much better. Indians were lost to trading company EAST INDIA COMPANY due to shortsightedness when HYDER ALI was close to victory in FIRST MYSORE WAR he was betrayed by other indian powers. IN batle of PHERORE SHAH IN FIRST SIKH WAR BRITISHERS WANTED TO SURRENDER BUT SIKH COMMANDERS LAL SINGH, TEJA SINGH WITHDREW FORCES FROM BATTLEFIED THIS FACT HAS BEEN ADMITTED IN BIOGRAPHY OF LORD HARDINGE THEN GOVERNOR of EIC THESE 2 GENERALS WERE IN LEAGUE WITH BRITISHTERS. Most of these old indians guns were not less than europeans. Ihope you did not mind

[Yaj]

Yaj,

The Vizianagaram led by Krishnadeva Raya? Which fought the Bahamani sultans from Bijapur? Which was completely destroyed by the Bahamani kingdoms and you now have a new city with the same name in Andhra Pradesh?

Krishna Deva Raya was of the Tuluva dynasty of the Vijaynagar kingdom which was never known as Vizianagaram ,though some portuguese accounts refer to it as Beejanugger.

The princely state of Vizianagaram was a totally different entity founded by the Pusapati clan of kshatriyas.
Vizzy trophy in cricket is named after one of the scions of this clan who was known more for his clout and money than his cricketing skills .
regards,
Yaj.

[jonahpach]

Hey guys this is real interesting reading please do go on.. and do not desist. Another 100 or so posts and I bet I can get enough material for a Phd. thesis ..

Jonah

[Yaj]

Hey guys this is real interesting reading please do go on.. and do not desist. Another 100 or so posts and I bet I can get enough material for a Phd. thesis ..

Jonah

Never too late to get an education

Yaj.

[dsingh]

Gentlemen Iam trying to confine my posts to firearms only but nonfirearm but most feared in sikh armoury was TULWAR or sword . According to an offficer in British army who fought the sikhs and wrote a book available in Central library in chandigarh that Sikhs used heavier and broader swords than other natives these swords caused deeper cuts most injuries caused by these swords resulted in deaths or disablement .What kind of these swords were? These heavy swords are still knonwn as TEGHAS which a very powerful blade I have seen such swords as old as 200-300 years old surprisingly it has same cutting power . I was told that these are made after melting the two pieces of iron then these are joined togeather SIKLIGARS are known to experts in making this type of swords. One type of this sword is available at AKAL TAKHT in AMRITSAR of 16 kgs belonging GREAT WARRIOR PHOOLA SINGH. Other weapon is doubble barrell pistol belonging to Great fighter Deep singh. Most of sikh weapons r in historic GURDWARA and in MUESEUMS. Another arm is specialy made musket popularly called RAM JUNG of 17th century of lighter weight. But real beauty is long musket with a nice locking system in MANDI GURDWARA belonging to GURU GOBIND SINGH JI ,it looks like a European gun. I will write more next time I hope readers are enjoying it.