How old is the Kora, and from where does it origin?

Jens Nordlunde · 9th May 2009, 04:43 PM

Sirupate, Ariel,

“In the eastern parts of Deccan, some new weapons seem to have been introduced to suit to the regional needs of the people. The ‘Kora’, which could produce deadly blows with its forward curved and broad tipped blade, appears, for the first time, in one of the sculptural panels carved in the second gate of the Mukhalingesvara temple at Mukhalinga,, the capital seat of the Eastern Ganga monarchs. The temple is datable to the second half of the eighth century AD. It may, therefore, be presumed that ‘Kora’, the favourite weapon of the Gurkhas, had come in vogue by the middle of eight century AD”.

I really don’t know what the author means by the word ‘introduced’, but to me the word means that the kora was not ‘invented’ in eastern Deccan or Bengal, but must have come from somewhere else – but from where? Maybe I misunderstand the author, and the kora really was ‘invented’ in eastern Deccan or Bengal, but if so,

it is strange that they are seen on stone sculptures in this area, but as far as I know, not in the area between there and Nepal. How could they ‘jump’ from one place to another without leaving any traces?

Well Ariel, I don’t know, and I can’t say, that I have ever seen a Tibetan kora. Do you have a picture you can show?

9th May 2009, 04:43 PM	#10
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Sirupate, Ariel, “In the eastern parts of Deccan, some new weapons seem to have been introduced to suit to the regional needs of the people. The ‘Kora’, which could produce deadly blows with its forward curved and broad tipped blade, appears, for the first time, in one of the sculptural panels carved in the second gate of the Mukhalingesvara temple at Mukhalinga,, the capital seat of the Eastern Ganga monarchs. The temple is datable to the second half of the eighth century AD. It may, therefore, be presumed that ‘Kora’, the favourite weapon of the Gurkhas, had come in vogue by the middle of eight century AD”. I really don’t know what the author means by the word ‘introduced’, but to me the word means that the kora was not ‘invented’ in eastern Deccan or Bengal, but must have come from somewhere else – but from where? Maybe I misunderstand the author, and the kora really was ‘invented’ in eastern Deccan or Bengal, but if so, it is strange that they are seen on stone sculptures in this area, but as far as I know, not in the area between there and Nepal. How could they ‘jump’ from one place to another without leaving any traces? Well Ariel, I don’t know, and I can’t say, that I have ever seen a Tibetan kora. Do you have a picture you can show?