Were S. Asian weapons designed to be used together?

ariel · 22nd November 2017, 10:31 PM

They were not designed for a combined use: they just happened to employ a similar engineering principle that was peculiar to the locality. Bichhwa was originally an improvised , low-class weapon: a cow horn with a longitudinal slit in the wider end. It always had a shady reputation:-)
The “paired” weapons usually included a long -bladed one in the dominant arm and a short-bladed one in the other one ( recall european Maine Gauche) that served as an analog of a shield and was very useful in close contact. Two short ones make very little practical sense.

IMHO.

Kubur · 23rd November 2017, 01:11 AM

I think it's the other way round.
Your first example is a combinaison of 2 weapons.
Like some Indian axes with matchlocks.

ariel · 23rd November 2017, 11:38 AM

Some katars had additional side “wing-like” blades. But this not the case with the above example. One can hold simple katars and bichhwas together in one hand, but they were not intended for that purpose.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 23rd November 2017, 02:22 PM

The question is about multiple weapon use..for which there is no set answer since they used what they had ..but thinking through the idea that arms workshops had been building up the weaponry available for a long time before any big battle... and warriors went in with quite a few arms about them... as in the picture below they were mob handed when it came to selection of weaponry. In addition several sword types could be on their choice list as well as Quoits firearms daggers... or they could use one main weapon and a variety of others...or any combination. Weapons use depended on the flowing situation and could involve sword and Katar as in the black and white sketch of the Maharathas below...or in the case of cavalry switching lance for bow then sword or dagger ....Very much horses for courses... and no holds barred.

22nd November 2017, 10:31 PM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	They were not designed for a combined use: they just happened to employ a similar engineering principle that was peculiar to the locality. Bichhwa was originally an improvised , low-class weapon: a cow horn with a longitudinal slit in the wider end. It always had a shady reputation:-) The “paired” weapons usually included a long -bladed one in the dominant arm and a short-bladed one in the other one ( recall european Maine Gauche) that served as an analog of a shield and was very useful in close contact. Two short ones make very little practical sense. IMHO.

23rd November 2017, 01:11 AM	#2
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	I think it's the other way round. Your first example is a combinaison of 2 weapons. Like some Indian axes with matchlocks.

23rd November 2017, 11:38 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Some katars had additional side “wing-like” blades. But this not the case with the above example. One can hold simple katars and bichhwas together in one hand, but they were not intended for that purpose.