Zam Zama facts for kids

Zam Zama or Zam-zammah is a very old and famous cannon. It is also known as the 'terror of Northern India' because it was so powerful. This huge cannon is made of brass. It was built in Lahore (which is now in Pakistan) in 1762. The king of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Durrani, ordered it to be made. Back then, it was one of the biggest cannons around. Its massive firing power made all armies fighting the Afghans very scared of it.

Kim sitting on Zam Zama, from the 1901 novel

The Famous Zam Zama Cannon

The Zam Zama cannon has a long and exciting history. It has traveled across different regions and been part of many important events.

How It Was Made

The Zam Zama cannon was created in 1762. It was built in the city of Lahore. This city was a major center for making weapons. The powerful Afghan king, Ahmad Shah Durrani, wanted a very strong cannon. He ordered Zam Zama to be built for his army.

Its Amazing Journey

After it was made, the cannon was used in battles. It was so big and strong that it was hard to move.

• At one point, the cannon was damaged. It fell into the Chenab River.
• Later, it was pulled out of the river. The victorious Sikh forces captured it. These forces were led by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
• After this, the Punjab region came under Sikh rule. People started saying, "Whoever holds Zam Zama holds the Punjab." This showed how important the cannon was.
• The cannon was then taken to Delhi. But it was brought back to Lahore in 1870.
• It was placed outside the old Lahore Museum. In the 1890s, it moved to the front of the new museum building. This spot is across from the old campus of the University of the Punjab.
• In the 1990s, the cannon was cleaned and fixed up.

Zam Zama in Books

The Zam Zama cannon became even more famous during the time of British India. This was thanks to a well-known writer named Rudyard Kipling. He wrote about the cannon in his famous book, Kim (book). The book was published in 1901. Kipling mentioned Zam Zama right at the beginning of the story. This made the cannon known to many more people around the world.

Images for kids

• 

  "Kim's Gun" as seen in 1903

• 

  Zamzam gun