Good Fighting Tulwar for Review and Commentary

[Jim McDougall]

Stan, this appears to be a solid fighting tulwar as you have already well described, and I think your date assessment is well in range. The dotted script characters also as you and Gene have noted are typically attributed to the armory at Bikaner. This is actually one of the few instances with Indian arms where we can establish a distinct marking characteristic to a particular armoury or location.

Bikaner is located in northwest Rajasthan, which as you have also established is indeed in Northwest India. It is important to note that because the blade is marked with these distinctive dotted characters of the armoury at Junargh Fort there, it means the weapon was one held there, not necessarily made or used there. Probably one of the largest hoards of captured arms and armour was brought there by Maharajah Anup Singh from the seige of Adoni in 1689 far to the southeast in India.

While your tulwar is characteristically simple in its styling as a fighting weapon probably intended to equip other ranks, the fleuret shaped quillon terminals are generally considered to be a feature of Mughal edged weapons. Most tulwars either Rajput or those to the east in Punjab regions will typically have the domed quillon terminals. Rajput and Sikh tulwars also usually are with knuckleguard. Naturally there are many exceptions and variations, and despite cases where regional attribution is suggested, typically unless specifically provenanced these are difficult to substantiate conclusively.


Excellent example and good solid piece!!!

All best regards,
Jim

[Stan S.]

Jim, could you please elaborate on "Sikh tulwars also usually are with knuckleguard"? I was under an impression that Sikhs used a wide viriety of weapons and favored both knuckleguarded tulwar hilts and teh ones without a guard.

Also, I am curious as to what purpose was a wide, heavy and relatively straight blade intended for (like the ones pictured in this thread), as opposed to the shamshir-like type that are thinner and of a more pronounced curvature? Was it just a personal preference dictated by one's chosen fighting style? Aesthetics? Or something else?

[Lew]

Hi Stan

In theory there are really no true Sikh tulwars they really incorporated many of the standard styles swords of that time to use in battle. On the other hand there are certain hilt styles that you do see a lot when looking at tulwars owned by prominent Sikh warriors and Gurus of the past. Below is an example of the type of hilt (Diamond shape protrusions) often seen on Sikh tulwars. In my opinion this is more an indicator than the use of a knuckle guard.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Stan S.

Jim, could you please elaborate on "Sikh tulwars also usually are with knuckleguard"? I was under an impression that Sikhs used a wide viriety of weapons and favored both knuckleguarded tulwar hilts and teh ones without a guard.

Also, I am curious as to what purpose was a wide, heavy and relatively straight blade intended for (like the ones pictured in this thread), as opposed to the shamshir-like type that are thinner and of a more pronounced curvature? Was it just a personal preference dictated by one's chosen fighting style? Aesthetics? Or something else?

Thank you very much Stan, both for the response and especially the questions. Regarding my comment of knuckleguarded tulwars and attribution to Sikhs could have been better worded. As has been noted, the weapons used by the Sikhs are widely varied, and as I was wryly once told by a Sikh, "if a weapon was used by a Sikh....then it is Sikh". In the research I did trying to find specific markings, symbols or characteristics distinctive to Sikh weapons, I found none answering that description definitively. Probably the only definite identifier would be inscription in gurmukhi script, which does not seem commonly used in this manner on weapons. As always I would welcome information to the contrary. The manner of hilt shown in Lews post is typically recognized as in the Udaipur style (in Rajasthan) and in this case of course likely 19th century. The diamond shape grip and the elongated rectangular langet are characteristic. Note the 'Indian ricasso' on the blade, a sound identifier of Indian blades, where shamshirs of course are without this feature. In India, many princely weapons were mounted with these Persian blades. The diamond grip in this case is no more an indicator of a Sikh weapon than any other feature. These type hilts are however relatively much more common, and recognized as relatively recent, even modern. The use of edged weapons in Sikh ceremonies, martial arts and religious observation is well established and many of these are likely found in these circumstances perhaps bring that perception .

The variations in tulwar pertaining to presence of knuckleguard vs. the absence of one seems, like with blades, largely preferential. I have personally always had an opinion that examples without guard were likely more of a courtly nature, where the guard of course was for protection in combat. Obviously this simplistic view is tenuous at best, as there are so many variations as to defeat that concept without too much effort. Also, with these examples the blades are clearly heavy fighting types, and the simple brass hilts obviously too austere for court weapons. Therefore my suggestion for court use would be better guaged on each weapon observed in context.

In G.N.Pant ("Indian Arms and Armour" New Delhi, 1980, p.104), the author describing the tulwar notes on the blades, "...there are all kinds of slightly curved blades and they vary enormously in size, curvature and quality".
Obviously an enormously broad statement, but finding enough consistancy to establish more clear axioms is a seemingly impossible task for Indian arms, still it is possible in many cases to evaluate a weapon collectively and by observed merits to plausibly suggest origins and use.

Regarding the straighter, or quite shallow curve, I would say of course yes, preference, aesthetics no. The use of a straight blade seems to have been a marked preference of the Marathas in southwest and central India, the Deccan. Considering the vast movements of the Marathas it is of course expected to find hybridization. It is claimed that the straight blade tulwar is termed the 'sukhela' and the term is presumed to derive from the Indian steel known as sakhela. In the Deccan, the more local term for this type blade on a sword was 'dhup'. Obviously in the case of hilt styles, it is emphatically a matter of preference locally and blades move about widely, much as is always the case as we well know.

Thank you again Stan for posting these!

All best regards,
Jim

[Stan S.]

Jim, my thoughts exactly. I too have heard of or read about the theory that tulwar hilts featuring a diamond grip, longer quillons and simple rectangular langets are associated with sikhs but I wouldn't even venture a guess as to why.

I appreciate your input on the possible applications of the shallow curvature blade and agree that it is definitely not suited to be a dress sword - it is way too heavy and long to be comfortably worn as an accessory.

[Jim McDougall]

Stan, thank you so much for responding to my post. Very much appreciated indeed.

All the very best,
Jim