the hilt size has been an on-going discussion/debate and, as it is all speculation, people tend to stick to their camps and believe what in their own different theories. all are valid, but i fear it cant really go past guesswork.
my theory runs along the same lines as jens. if you go to any 'indian' area, you will see a wide spectrum of cultures, all roped within that continent. however, it is apparant that a large body of indians are small in size (even today). their bone structure is noticibly lighter than normal, and their hands are small. my theory is that these people originate from the early hindus, pre-islamic 'invasion'.
persians, turks, ottomans etc tend to be of a bulkier frame (much like the western form) and i think that with a 1000 or so years of infiltration, the indian body has, in general, incorporated these genes within. so, you have rajputs that are bigger in size but i think that ancestrally, they were much smaller. there are many full grown indians that can easily hold a 'normal' size tulwar and katar.
i have seen/owned many indian pieces of various sizes. in general, they are smaller, but i have pieces that i can easily wield.
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