A south Indian katar

[Jim McDougall]

Truly a most beautiful katar, and as noted, almost certainly from Tanjore.
Elgood ("Hindu Arms and Ritual", p.162, fig. 15.39) notes 17th c. examples with the twin humped bars separated by connecting pins with small wheels, and suggests they are from the 'Tanjore school'. The flared sidebars which enclose panels of beautifully chiselled iconography are also characteristic.
The beaded bordering around these seem distinctive and unusual as not seen in most examples shown in references. This beading seems to reflect that feature often appearing in Indian art in depictions of figures wearing strings of pearls in miniatures etc.

The pair of fish is theologically auspicious in India of course, but the theme in the motif in the sidebars seems possibly to associate to the Pandyan Dynasty in early Tamil Nadu, whose royal emblem was the fish. Elgood (op.cit.p.134) notes that "...fish are frequently chiselled as subordinate decoration on the earlier Tanjore arms".
The fish, and notably, the peacock, are often featured in Tamil poetry.

The blade with triangular striated form seems to correspond to early form associated with Vijayanagara from about 16th c. and later supplanted by the influx of European blades.

I am curious about what these wheels in the grip represent, and it does seem significant that they do number seven, an important number symbolically. I think you once mentioned prayer wheels and I wonder if that might have any association. It does not seem that they would have any practical purpose (though it is curious they are mindful of the little scrolling wheel on my mouse here as I write this !.

Any thoughts or other examples of these wheels in the grips of katars?

Best regards,
Jim