Extremely interesting post Katana!! and I'm glad to see the attention to the tulwar, which is one of the more esoteric of collectible ethnographic swords.
I have always been inclined to think of the design of the tulwar hilt to represent largely atavistic influence from many of the early weapons seen in the iconography of India. It seems as if the techniques employed in using the tulwar may have evolved to work around the somewhat restrictive elements of the hilt structure, particularly the often very large pommel disc. The disc is known to carry not only aesthetic but often important symbolic themes in its decoration. The knuckleguard may represent the influence of European weapons and swordplay techniques in degree but such application needs to be consigned to research on individual weapons or limited regional forms rather than broad assessments.
It seems there have been a number of very good discussions over the years examining the techniques used with the tulwar, and the primary concerns seem to have been with the impairment of wrist action caused by the disc of the pommel, as well as the limited size of the grip. The longstanding claim that the smaller grip size was presumed due to smaller Indian handsize, while it has been also suggested that the presence of the 'Indian ricasso' on the blade was intended to allow the warrior to wrap the forefinger around the quillon of the guard. This seems to relate to similar European practice from early rapier swordplay.
The tulwar was an incredibly deadly weapon, and used with considerable effect by the Sikhs in particular. In the cavalry regiments of the British Raj, these were the chosen sabre. I once owned several examples made by Robert Mole of Birmingham,England specifically for native troopers of British cavalry in India.
Best regards,
Jim
|