Along a bustling thoroughfare in the center of Pune is the popular Mahatma Phule Museum. It was founded in 1875 and was formerly called the Poona Industrial Museum. Later it was renamed Lord Reay Industrial Museum and in 1968, it was renamed once again, this time to the Mahatma Phule Museum.

At the entrance, in the spacious courtyard, is a circle fenced with artistic pillars and a chain. Within this circle stands an imposing piece of artillery on two gigantic wheels. An information plaque describes this gun to be a 12-pound howitzer.

This type of weapon could fire cannonballs or other projectiles of 12 pounds from its barrel. According to experts, a howitzer falls between a cannon and a mortar with long-range capabilities. The plaque also mentions that this particular gun was manufactured in 1859 in Bengal (now West Bengal).