Bali Wedding Keris?

[Battara]

Greetings folks,

I was wondering about this kris from Bali that just ended. I have seen some regard this type of silver scabbard-silver keris as a wedding keris.

Is this true?

Who is the female rakshasa?

[Sajen]

Hello Jose,

when this keris was worn by a wedding it is a wedding keris! Every keris can be a wedding keris, there are no special features for a wedding keris. The handle should represent Durga IMHO. The blade seems bad scattered.

Regards,
Detlef

[A. G. Maisey]

what you say is true detlef, just as any knife that has been used in a knife fight is a fighting knife, however, most Balinese people do tend to go right over the top for the keris that they will wear at their wedding, and usually spend the maximum amount of money that they can afford on the biggest and best dress that they can get. the keris shown here is one of the types that has been popular for both wedding dress and formal occasion dress.

i knew a bloke a few years back that virtually bankrupted himself with his wedding keris --- gold, rubies, emeralds diamonds, sapphires. the blade was pretty ordinary, an old family blade, but the dress was exquisite. he was still trying to sell it 5 years after his wedding.

my apologies for the typing, i'm a bit handicapped at the moment.

[Battara]

Thank you folks. Wish I had this one, even if the blade is not the best.......

[David]

Originally Posted by Sajen

The handle should represent Durga IMHO. The blade seems bad scattered.

I would thing this hilt more likely was meant to represent Rangda or Calon Arang, who have associations with Durga, not necessarily Durga herself.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by David

I would thing this hilt more likely was meant to represent Rangda or Calon Arang, who have associations with Durga, not necessarily Durga herself.

Hello David,

you are correct, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangda and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga

Regards,
Detlef