Indian Khanda hilt serpentine 'saw edged' blade

[Jim McDougall]

The serpentine shape of this blade, as CourseEight has astutely observed, of course suggests ceremonial reference to the naga, distinctly significant throughout the Subcontinent.
Jens, thank you so much for the Pant reference, which gives us the term best applicable here (miss my books!!

These serpentine weapons, in the case of swords, I cannot imagine being used in combat, however they do look deadly indeed. Psychological warfare was well in place from ancient times as military historians have often pointed out. While the serrated edge is extremely effective in cutting, and is employed in numerous applications in varied ethnographic cultures, especially Oceanic . The practical effect of the serrated edge would likely be not only compromised but mostly negated, by the recurving blade. Naturally, in a situation, some effect would be found if used, even if only for the contact of one of the outer curves making contact.

All the best,
Jim