TULWAR for Comment and ID

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Hi Jim,
I guess the door is still open in terms of the origins of my Tulwar. So it could be either North or South India depending on your particular view. Anyway lets say at least it is Western India (either north or south!)
My understanding of those Northwest Indian swords is that if they have the downturned quillons then they are Afghani Poulwars and not Tulwars, but whats in a name anyway!
Really love that pic of the Tulwar hilt tops!
Stu

I guess it comes down to, just WHAT includes South India...........the tulwar (Indo-Persian hilt as commonly known) was simply NOT used south of the Deccan. The only exception was that Tipu Sultan of Mysore had one, and if his forces possibly used them. It is just they were not prevalent by any means. Nobody will find a Tamil tulwar.
In the Deccan what prevailed was the khanda, firangi, though I have an example of a 'shamshir hilt' 'tulwar from Deccan.

Correct on the downturn quillons regarded as paluoars (cognate with 'tulwar'), which were regarded as Northwest Indian in 1880s into early 20th.
Now they are considered Afghan but their use had already gone by these times. The 'features' in the hilts were regarded as Deccani in the quillon terminals and bowl pommel .

So I am curious in the suggestion of South Indian tulwar, just what geographic area is meant?