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Old 17th March 2021, 11:29 AM   #1
Kurt
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Default Khanda, a call for help on translation

Dear members, can someone translate this for me?
Best Kurt
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Last edited by Kurt; 18th March 2021 at 11:14 AM.
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Old 20th March 2021, 06:00 PM   #2
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I am not an expert in reading the inscriptions, but if no one is ready to reply, I can try (due to despair) to suggest my own explanation, not the reading, because the inscription perhaps cannot be read in the usual way.
"VARAK MATSEE" ~ "made from foil" or more precisely "by 'varak' method". This refers to gold foil, or rather this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vark

On such items, often made for travelers, there are sometimes such meaningless inscriptions like "this inscription is made of gold".

This is just my guess. I am not able to accurately read this inscription, sorry...
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Old 27th March 2021, 08:36 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercenary
I am not an expert in reading the inscriptions, but if no one is ready to reply, I can try (due to despair) to suggest my own explanation, not the reading, because the inscription perhaps cannot be read in the usual way.
"VARAK MATSEE" ~ "made from foil" or more precisely "by 'varak' method". This refers to gold foil, or rather this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vark

On such items, often made for travelers, there are sometimes such meaningless inscriptions like "this inscription is made of gold".

This is just my guess. I am not able to accurately read this inscription, sorry...
As someone that can read devanagari, I can corroborate that the inscription indeed reads "varak matsi" (or "matsee", when transcribed phonetically), and Mercenary's explanation here makes the most sense to me.
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Old 28th March 2021, 11:35 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nihl
As someone that can read devanagari, I can corroborate that the inscription indeed reads "varak matsi" (or "matsee", when transcribed phonetically), and Mercenary's explanation here makes the most sense to me.
Hi Nihl ,
Thanks for explanation and help.
Am a little disappointed expected an owner.
But now I am informed.
Kurt
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Old 24th March 2021, 01:44 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurt
Dear members, can someone translate this for me?
Best Kurt
Hello members,
can someone give me advice on who to turn to for a translation?
Thanks Kurt
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Old 24th March 2021, 04:52 PM   #6
Jens Nordlunde
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Kurt,



The text says 'Varak Matsee'. Varak can mean worked in Gold and Matsya/Matsee also means Fish.
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Old 24th March 2021, 06:03 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde
Kurt,



The text says 'Varak Matsee'. Varak can mean worked in Gold and Matsya/Matsee also means Fish.

Thanks Jens,
a strange text.
Kurt
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Old 24th March 2021, 06:42 PM   #8
Jens Nordlunde
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Yes you are right Kurt. It is a very strange text.
I asked the one who translated the text for me, and he could not give an explanation of what it could mean.
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Old 24th March 2021, 07:06 PM   #9
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To my eyes, this looks like a late 19th - early 20th century Khanda, made for European collector market.

In this context the inscription may have been added for purely decorative reasons, to increase the marketability of the sword.
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Old 24th March 2021, 07:08 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde
Yes you are right Kurt. It is a very strange text.
I asked the one who translated the text for me, and he could not give an explanation of what it could mean.


Dear Jens ,
Many years ago when I bought the Khanda I made a trip to Rajastan, there I showed the inscription to an Indian scholar, he translated Badur Singh. ????
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