hi jens,
a very interesting post, which will hopefully attract some kora enthusiasts to empart some of their knowledge.
as you know, nepal isnt my thing, but will offer an honest and humble opinion.
firstly, i am always wary of unreferenced data, maybe more so when it comes from india. the few publications that have entered our shelves have warranted questioning (not by me - i like all books, the good, the bad and the ugly :-)
however, the hyderabad catalogue is quite well written (if compared). it doesnt offer any earth-shattering new data, but doesnt try to. it states dates in a cautious and relatively accurate way.
it has been some time since i read it, but a casual look shows that this kora reference was from douglas barrett. i havent read this particular book, but have read others he has written and his speciality is architecture, which he is well respected for. his knowedge isnt arms, and i am guessing the kora reference was instigated by nigam (from the hyderabad museum).
the deccan reference doesnt surprise me at all, but i would not go as far as to say this is an origin. the nature of indian arms is that the style travelled well. the ancus, in pure form is apparant for at least 1200 years, and most probably more (i rarely look further :-) in both the north and south of india.
the katar, once thought to be an akbar 'invention' was fully developed in both the north and south during the 16thC (again, and maybe earlier).
there is no reason for me to think the same of the kora. weapons get adapted by cultures and then history tends to casually rope these elements together into a marriage that forgets any previous history they may have had. the sikh chakram is a great example, it being a much earlier hindu weapon.
as for the deccan statue (gates, actually) in question. i will definately trace the reference in the near future. what nigam saw could well have been a kora, or an early version of. or, it could have been a worn statue, offering a sword shape that resembled a kora in its present condition. i would go for the former, as i always like to give the benefit of the doubt.
i have attached an image from a sculpture in madhya pradesh (6thC). the sword flares out at the end, with a strange kora-like tip (or this could the the tip of the sword broken off the statue!). the blade curves slightly inwards and the pommel and 'quillion' are both disc-like.
all possible elements of a kora. i am not saying this is the same sword form, but maybe this is what nigam was looking out when he made that statement.
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