Very Early Scottish broadsword blade in Indian PATA

[Jim McDougall]

Another soliloquy on weapons and their history.

This old PATA from India I have had for over 40 years, and with its strange hilt apparently mounted on a very old broadsword blade, I just presumed it was a traditional or decorative example, with what for all intents and purposes seemed to be a European kaskara blade.

In my quest to go though old weapons and notes, it is as if lights are going on as I discover incredible facts about these silent old icons of the past.

With this, and the help of knowledgeable members here, who kindly shared information, I was awakened to remarkable things about this weapon,which too many self proclaimed 'experts' would toss off as 'tourist souvenir' .
This is a common problem with those who do not search into actual history in accord with the weapons being examined. Often there is far more to the examples than superficially apparent.

This pata, as now seen, appears to have been a weapon used likely in ceremonial or ritual properties by what is known in Hindu tradition as the Cult of Garuda. In the South Indian kingdom of Hoysala, the traditions of the bravest warriors were the GARUDA warriors. In the Hindu pantheon, the Garuda served Vishnu and in the same manner these warriors served the king.
So the figure represented in the gauntlet hilt is in one of these reprentations.

In the mid 18th century, the British were already occupying regions in Bengal and others, by 1799, the Battle of Seringpatam in Mysore established Great Britain in the Deccan with the defeat of Tipu Sultan. The East India Co. had become the administrative and trade force largely backed by British government forces nominally controlling Native military units.

The presence of British military and East India Co. units often had strong Highland presence in certain regiments with Scottish origins, brought a notable degree of Scottish weaponry of course.

As indicated earlier, the character of this blade I had always simply shrugged off as likely a kaskara blade...never considering , why in the world would a kaskara blade be in India? and certainly no way would a pata be in the Sudan. Admittedly I would have been a terrible detective!

But then the lights went on!!!
This blade is EXTREMELY old, even prior to the incursions of these German blades into North Africa, and now I realize, with the familiar astral symbols, sun, moon etc in the European manner.......this is compellingly likely to be an old SCOTTISH broadsword blade.
The Indians had a profoundly high regard for German blades (they hated English ones) and the Garuda also esteemed battle venerated old blades.

This blade might well have gotten into the hands of these Indian warriors through various means, whichever it might be, it falls into 'trophy' category. It might have been from a basket hilt taken in battle or from the field.
Whatever the case, the blade has seen extensive use......the rugged, wavy edges are from field sharpening with stones. Ultimately, the blade reached its honorary status in the dress of the traditional pata hilt and Garuda cult it would seem.

Every weapon has a story. They are the sentinels of history.
This is why I study them,
It might take years, but I hope to reach the answers while I can.

This is the reason for my loquacious soliloquys here, which are meant to share what I have found.......for those few who will take up the gauntlet in the next generation of arms history researchers. Everyone who collects follows their own likes and perspectives, but the history dynamic always adds to the deeper appreciation of the weapons, so in sharing, we all benefit.

I will try to get better pics of the blade soon. The hilt seems to be made of the kind of sheet metal alloy used in SE Asian items of material culture in the 19th c.