Hi Athena,
It appears you have acquired a good, solid example of an apparantly Mughal fighting or combat grade katar from Indias northwestern regions. It would seem that the age pitting indicates it has been cleaned some time ago and some evidence of recent and minimal surface rust. This is most likely from about mid 19th century to latter.
The form corresponds with an example shown in Stone (fig.434, #2) which also has the twin lobed 'guard' or base of hilt, as well as the twin grips which have the centrally enlarged shape (much as seen on tulwars).
The blade has a centrally ribbed armour piercing cross section as favored in northern regions, and a strikingly similar example to yours appears in "Islamic Arms & Armour of Muslim India" (Dr.S Haider, Lahore, 1991) on p.207. This example, much more ornate, dates 1801, and suggests the form was among those favored by the Mughals. It would seem quite plausible that this form hilt, in basic form, would have been produced to supply warriors in the ranks of Mughal forces who often included Rajputs and other tribes.
The form also appears in Dr. G.N.Pant ("Indian Arms & Armour", New Delhi, 1980) in fig.#505. Interestingly, Pant notes that the proper term for the dagger we know as the 'katar' is actually 'jemadhar'. He explains that the term was misapplied by Egerton in what may have been transcribing error in his 1880 work, and that the etymology of the jemadhar term is actually 'jam' (= Sk. yama, god of death) and 'dhar' (=sharp edge, tooth) thus , tooth of the god of death (Pant, op.cit. p.163).
It is always extremely hard to date examples of Indian weapons as the forms persisted with very subtle change for many years, and the constant geopolitical flux on the subcontinent created the persistant diffusion that confounds definitive identification in so many cases. Your example seems to be consistant though with what I have described.
Nice example, thank you so much for sharing it. I am always grateful for those who contribute on the weapons of India as there is so much more work to be done on the research.
All the best,
Jim
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