The development of the Indian katar

[Jens Nordlunde]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

The remarkably early and quite simple example shown in the book on Orissan antiquities is indeed compelling, but the inevitable question is of course, can this iconographic evidence be relied upon in the estimated date of the context ? Can we be sure of the date/period suggested for these friezes? or is it possible they are work entered later? In India I believe that temples and their associated works are essentially a constantly vibrant and dynamic feature, so it seems possible this could be a later rendering or addition.

Jim,
This is a very interesting question, and I do understand why you ask it.
I have in none of my books ever seen mentioned, replacements with newer statues or reliefs, they may have been repaired, but I doubt that reliefs or statues have been replaced by newer ones - had there been replacements, I am sure it would have been mentioned. You should also keep in memory, that should the relief where the katar is shown, have been newer than the temple, lets say with two centuries - how would the artist have known, what the katar two centuries earlier would have looked like?

Rajendralala Mitra who wrote the book about the temples in Orissa, was at the time a very well known as well as a very respected historian, and I am sure he would have mentioned it, had the relief been newer. While writing about the temples, he has seen a lot of them, and was able to compare the different reliefs and statues and their age.

I have just finished reading Jonathan Scott's book. In fact he was an 'editor' collecting old manuscripts to publish. Manu of the contributers, had lived at the time of Aurangzeb and later, they had also lived at court, so they knew many of the 'historical' names well. To read about warfare then is something of a parody - not always, but often.

The katar shown below is from Hamza and shows a fully developed katar in the 16th century. Hamza illustrates and old Persian story, and was made for Akbar around mid 16th century.
Notive the very 'sharp' 'V' base. This base was used for centuries.
Jens

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you Jens, and very good points!
I am less than well versed in archaeology, but I would imagine that newer or replaced iconography such as stone carving or other would be easily detected by experts. Also, they seem to be able to pretty accurately date these temples and stone work.

This then establishes pretty reliably that this transverse guard feature must have existed as early as 10th century!!!
So this very rudimentary form of a handled blade, presumably for slashing, must have been around in sort of a latent form in minimal degree until its more developed forms in the 16th century.

As always when studying development of weapon forms, there seem to be many cases where there are huge gaps in the linear chronology of the presumed evolution. In this case it is quite simple yet unique, as the transverse grip seems unusual for edged weapons.

Perhaps it is tempting to consider that perhaps this type handle could have evolved from those on shields used in parrying, such as the madu type weapon? Then we would have to consider just how far back that particular form goes.....we know that a number of Indian daggers evolved from animal horns, such as the bichwa and madu madu.

That 'V' base you mention, it seems once you had noted either that or another 'base' feature as distinctive in some degree regionally, possibly Deccan? While I know we are focused on the development of the katar as a form, I cannot resist curiosity on those kinds of features.
Jim

[Jens Nordlunde]

Jim,
The devolopment from this very early katar, to the katar at Akbar's time is quite fantastic.
The 'only' problem is, is to find the sculptures, friezes or whatever to show the development. I feel sure they are there, and have been seen by many people - the problem is, that they may not have been interested in katars.
When speaking about sculptures an friezes, it must be remembered, that a lot were destroyed during and after the many wars over several centuries. Depending on, if the Hindu's or the Muslim's won. So a lot of evidence can have been/has been lost.
Jens

[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