Hi,
An important point here will be to note how the foreign (namely French, Portugese and mostly English) influenced the natives....
Firearms rose in prominence thus rendering Swords and daggers as mere ceremonial objects...and after the Mutiny of 1857 the British seized and destroyed hundreds of swords.
Also the artisans were banned and at instances killed. (numerous such examples available especially in Deccan where families were put to death thus leading to an abrupt end of knowledge of hundreds of years)
Generally speaking it is the post 1857 era which can be treated as a landmark of the end of a golden era in craftsmanship.
Regards,
Bhushan
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