The chhatri or umbrella

Jens Nordlunde · 28th September 2008, 04:35 PM

In Jewellery Studies, vol. 10, 2004, Robert Elgood has an interesting article. On page 82 he writes, “The Nujum al-Ulum shows forms of weapons usually given a much later Mughal origin. The manuscript states that certain signs read on a blade in its imperfections or its watered patterns are auspicious or inauspicious and determine the owner’s future. Of particular interest is the comment that the umbrella mark is extremely auspicious. The chhatri or umbrella is one of the auspicious symbols of Hindu rulers and of early Buddhism. It was believed that troubles to the cosmic order would ensue if the King/God and the Sun/God were to look upon one another and so the umbrella was transposed, just as it was considered dangerous for the King to see his own reflection in a bright sword blade. The Hindu rulers chhatri was a vital symbol of his right to rule, and the mark was inlaid on royal Mughal sword and dagger blades. There is no pre-Mughal evidence to show that Hindu rulers inlaid the umbrella symbol on their swords though it is clear that the symbol was looked for in the patterns on the blade as an auspicious mark…..”

The text above gives the impression, that ‘unofficial’ use of the umbrella must have been an offence, and offences, at that time, were severely dealt with. Long ago I read, that a general, maybe a prince, who had distinguished himself in battle was given drums, but I don’t remember to have read, that an umbrella was given to anyone. I have however, seen a blade, on which was an umbrella with three flags on top, not nicely inlaid, but fairly crudely chiselled into the blade. Could the Mughal ruler’s personal guard have the umbrella chiselled into their blades, to show that they were of some importance, and were royal guards?

28th September 2008, 04:35 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	The chhatri or umbrella In Jewellery Studies, vol. 10, 2004, Robert Elgood has an interesting article. On page 82 he writes, “The Nujum al-Ulum shows forms of weapons usually given a much later Mughal origin. The manuscript states that certain signs read on a blade in its imperfections or its watered patterns are auspicious or inauspicious and determine the owner’s future. Of particular interest is the comment that the umbrella mark is extremely auspicious. The chhatri or umbrella is one of the auspicious symbols of Hindu rulers and of early Buddhism. It was believed that troubles to the cosmic order would ensue if the King/God and the Sun/God were to look upon one another and so the umbrella was transposed, just as it was considered dangerous for the King to see his own reflection in a bright sword blade. The Hindu rulers chhatri was a vital symbol of his right to rule, and the mark was inlaid on royal Mughal sword and dagger blades. There is no pre-Mughal evidence to show that Hindu rulers inlaid the umbrella symbol on their swords though it is clear that the symbol was looked for in the patterns on the blade as an auspicious mark…..” The text above gives the impression, that ‘unofficial’ use of the umbrella must have been an offence, and offences, at that time, were severely dealt with. Long ago I read, that a general, maybe a prince, who had distinguished himself in battle was given drums, but I don’t remember to have read, that an umbrella was given to anyone. I have however, seen a blade, on which was an umbrella with three flags on top, not nicely inlaid, but fairly crudely chiselled into the blade. Could the Mughal ruler’s personal guard have the umbrella chiselled into their blades, to show that they were of some importance, and were royal guards?