Small Dress Katars Reflected in Mughal Art

laEspadaAncha · 30th December 2010, 07:47 PM

This painting was commissioned by Maharana Sangram Singh (II) in 1734 to commemorate the meeting of six Rajput kings in Rajasthan (a rather remarkable effort of collaboration at the time) to discuss an alliance to repulse the invading Marathas from the south. This painting was then presented as a gift to the ruler of Jodhpur.

I took close-up photos of the two right-facing rulers... On the far left is Miravji Bakhat Sing (king of Bedla), and next to Sangram Singh (who commissioned the painting). Of note is the diminutive size of the katars and small khanjars carried in their sashes/belts. As opposed to large, fighting-sized weapons, these appear to have assumed the role of decorative accouterments - dress knives akin to a "gentleman's dirk." As someone who does not own a copy of Islamic Arms and Armour (I know Elgood also authored an essay dedicated to the arms and armor of the Mughal court), can anyone with more insight tell me whether this is a correct interpretation of the smaller side arms as depicted in these Mughal miniatures?

In other miniatures from the same collection (I'll post another example later), while tulwars and/or firangi seem to be depicted in scale with the subjects, other katars of nobility also seem similarly "downsized." I know small katars did exist - I own one in my own collection (shown along with several other exmaples here) - but had assumed these to be made for the children of nobility (or possibly for women of the court, a possibility also mentioned in the thread), and had not considered the possibility they might simply serve as "dress" pieces for men of status.

Thanks...

30th December 2010, 07:47 PM	#1
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Small Dress Katars Reflected in Mughal Art This painting was commissioned by Maharana Sangram Singh (II) in 1734 to commemorate the meeting of six Rajput kings in Rajasthan (a rather remarkable effort of collaboration at the time) to discuss an alliance to repulse the invading Marathas from the south. This painting was then presented as a gift to the ruler of Jodhpur. I took close-up photos of the two right-facing rulers... On the far left is Miravji Bakhat Sing (king of Bedla), and next to Sangram Singh (who commissioned the painting). Of note is the diminutive size of the katars and small khanjars carried in their sashes/belts. As opposed to large, fighting-sized weapons, these appear to have assumed the role of decorative accouterments - dress knives akin to a "gentleman's dirk." As someone who does not own a copy of Islamic Arms and Armour (I know Elgood also authored an essay dedicated to the arms and armor of the Mughal court), can anyone with more insight tell me whether this is a correct interpretation of the smaller side arms as depicted in these Mughal miniatures? In other miniatures from the same collection (I'll post another example later), while tulwars and/or firangi seem to be depicted in scale with the subjects, other katars of nobility also seem similarly "downsized." I know small katars did exist - I own one in my own collection (shown along with several other exmaples here) - but had assumed these to be made for the children of nobility (or possibly for women of the court, a possibility also mentioned in the thread), and had not considered the possibility they might simply serve as "dress" pieces for men of status. Thanks...