The development of the Indian katar

[Ian]

Jens, Jim and others:

When considering monuments and other statuary, we should remember also the mausoleums that have survived to this day in remote parts of the Rajput territories. These proud and determined warriors had to endure repeated invasions and often retreated to the less fertile and less desirable parts of NW India to build their strongholds.

I have a colleague and friend who is a Rajput prince and can trace his family line back to the 10th C CE. The family still occupy the ancestral palace in Gujarat, as well as a former palace (now largely in ruins) dating from the 14th C CE. In the same town as the older palace is the family crematorium which features perhaps a hundred stone memorials to family nobility dating back to the 14th C. The men are always depicted as warriors on horseback with lances, curved swords, a small shield/buckler, and sometimes a bow with a quiver of arrows.

The monuments date from the 14th C to about the end of the 17th or early 18th C. Some of them are too badly worn to get an accurate depiction of the weapons they used, but others show these in clear detail. I have found only one example of a katar depicted on these monuments (see third example below). Based on the weaponry used by the leaders of this Rajput clan, I would say the katar was first used by them probably no earlier than the 16th C CE.

Similar mausoleums likely exist for other Rajput clans, and the information could be obtained from some field research in Gujurat and Rajastan. It's a matter of knowing where to look and who to contact. This is one of those things that's on my bucket list to do.

In the pictures below, the first two monuments are likely from the 15th or 16th C. The third one is probably 17th C. I have not had the inscriptions translated yet, so the dating is approximate only.

Ian.

[fernando]

Outstanding pictures, Ian. Note the katar with a V base shape.
Thanks for sharing

[fernando]

This painting of a person armed with a straight bladed sword and katar comes in ARMS AND ARMOUR Traditional weapons of India, by E. Jaiwat Paul. It doesn't have a text identifying it. Perhaps Jens would tell us what kind of warrior is this; probably a noble, a prince ?
... and its period, judging by the katar ...

.

[Ian]

These are more pictures from the same 14th C Rajput palace that I mentioned above. The first two pictures are of a guardian at the main gate that has been carved in sandstone. I don't know the age of this statue--it could date from later than when the palace was built. There is some damage, but one can see that the "sword" in his hands has a broad straight blade and bulbous hilt, and does not resemble a typical tulwar or khanda. This may be a mace rather than a sword. There is the suggestion of a curved dagger at his waist, reminiscent of a jambiya, possibly with a horse's head hilt. I can see no evidence of a katar.

The second two pictures are of his companion on the other side of the gate whom time has treated less well. This figure also holds the same style of sword or mace, and also has a curved dagger at his waist. Again, no evidence of a katar in what is probably a 14thC or 15thC CE depiction.

Ian

[Jens Nordlunde]

Thank you very much Ian - you have made my day, also thank you to Fernando.
I have very little time now, but I will write to morrow.
All the best
Jens

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All, I have certainly often wondered how this weapon began and observing the number of obviously recycled sword blades ...possibly spoils of war... how these fragments were transformed into useful daggers.

The whats in a word scenario is rather clear...Wikepedia notes at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katar_(dagger); Quote'' The katar or katara (Sanskrit: कट्टार kaţāra or kaţārī, Malayalam: കട്ടാരം katāram, Hindi: कटार kaṭāra or kaṭāri, Kannada: ಕಠಾರಿ kaṭhāri Marathi: कट्यार kaṭyāra, Tamil: கட்டாரி kaţţāri or குத்துவாள் kuttuvāḷ meaning "fist blade") is a type of push dagger from India. The weapon is characterized by its H-shaped horizontal hand grip which results in the blade sitting above the user's knuckles. Unique to South Asia, it is the most famous and characteristic of Indian daggers. Ceremonial katar were also used in worship.


History
The katar originated in southern India where its original name was kattari before being altered to katara (romanized as "katar" by the British) in the north. The earliest forms occur in the medieval Vijayanagara Empire. Katar dating back to this period often had a leaf- or shell-like knuckle-guard to protect the back of the hand, but this was discarded by the later half of the 17th century.

The gauntlet-sword or pata was developed from the katar, according to Middle Ages researcher Tobias Capewell. As the weapon spread throughout the region it became something of a status symbol, much like the Southeast Asian kris or the Japanese katana.

Princes and nobles were often portrayed wearing a katar at their side. This was not only a precaution for self-defense, but it was also meant to show their wealth and position. Upper-class Rajputs and Mughals would even hunt tigers with a pair of katar. For a hunter to kill a tiger with such a short-range weapon was considered the surest sign of bravery and martial skill.

From the 16th century onwards, katar were often made from broken sword-blades. Even old imported European blades were used, especially by the Maratha Empire, and were riveted to projections from the hilt.

After India was colonised by the British, numerous katar were made for the European collectors' market which placed little value on functionality. Among these were the scissors katar with two or three blades that folded together, appearing to be one, until the handle bars were pressed together, when they opened out. These novelty weapons were popular among foreigners but were impractical in actual combat. For example, the blades couldn't be opened after they are thrust into an opponent's body. More importantly, if they were wielded with the blades opened, all the force of the blow would have to be absorbed by the hinge-pins at the root of the blades.

In another modern katar design, single-shot pistols are built into either side of the weapon. In the 18th century, some traditional katar were refurbished with this innovation. The pistols are meant to deal the killing blow after the weapon has been thrust into the enemy. Like most combination weapons, the effectiveness of the pistol-katar is doubtful.

The katar ceased to be in common use by the 19th century, though they were still forged for decorative purposes. During the 18th and 19th century, a distinctive group of katar were produced at Bundi in Rajasthan. They were ornately crafted and their hilts were covered in gold foil. These katar were shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Crystal Palace, London. Since then, the weapon has sometimes been mistakenly referred to in English as a "Bundi dagger".Unquote.

I looked at http://mys.yoursearch.me/images/?cat...rd+blade+katar and extracted some interesting exhibits below some which I have noted above.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Emanuel]

Hello,

Attached are illustrations originally posted by Brian (B.I), dated as 16th and 17th centuries.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attach...tid=5314&stc=1
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attach...tid=5315&stc=1
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attach...tid=5316&stc=1
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attach...id=10404&stc=1
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attach...id=10406&stc=1

Elgood had shown some very early sculptures depicting warriors using jamadhar/katar: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=82814


Emanuel

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

From the Met Museum~See http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/...e/search/24306

Daggers of this type, called katars, were designed to be held by the cross bars in a clenched fist. This is one of the few that retains its embossed leather scabbard. Elaborately decorated examples worn thrust through a waist sash, can be seen in many Indian paintings of this period.