A pair of basket hilted Firangis

Jim McDougall · 6th February 2006, 07:53 PM

Wow!!! breathtaking grouping Andy!!! very nice

Thanks very much Radu. You are right, the old Hindu hilt was the ancestor of the khanda, and ultimately the basket hilt forms. As Rawson states in "The Indian Sword", 1968, (p.28), "...the greater number of the surviving khandas from the Hindu areas of Northern India are, however, mounted in the Hindu Basket Hilt, which is a later version of the old Indian (hilt) improved by the addition of a basketguard. It is probable that this development took place in the western Deccan c.1600 and was prompted by contacts with European basket hilted swords".

The sword hilts of the Hindu Vijayanagara Kingdom from the 14th through the 16th centuries provided the basis for the 'old Indian hilt', and certainly reflected influences of considerably more ancient forms. The Mahrattas are of obscure origin, however as independant tribes they seem to have entered India prior to 11th century. They became organized as a power under Sivaji (1627-80). As Hindus in faith, they certainly would have used weapons of the forms known in India in early times, and situated in the western Deccan, they were well in contact with Portuguese held Goa. There there was brisk trade controlled by the Jesuits, and the contact with European weapons and blades described by Rawson took place, the Portuguese having been established there since c.1510.

While it would be difficult to assign the origins of the khanda itself to the Mahrattas it does seem that the 'firangi' may be placed with them. It is also noted in Rawson (op.cit.p.28) that it is likely that the sword mentioned by Tod ("Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan", J.Tod, London 1829-32) as being worshipped by the Rajputs was the khanda, probably mounted in the old Indian hilt. Clearly these early swords were well known throughout Hindu India, although the Mahrattas were most likely the catalysts for introduction of the European style basket hilt to the khanda.

Best regards,
Jim

6th February 2006, 07:53 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Wow!!! breathtaking grouping Andy!!! very nice Thanks very much Radu. You are right, the old Hindu hilt was the ancestor of the khanda, and ultimately the basket hilt forms. As Rawson states in "The Indian Sword", 1968, (p.28), "...the greater number of the surviving khandas from the Hindu areas of Northern India are, however, mounted in the Hindu Basket Hilt, which is a later version of the old Indian (hilt) improved by the addition of a basketguard. It is probable that this development took place in the western Deccan c.1600 and was prompted by contacts with European basket hilted swords". The sword hilts of the Hindu Vijayanagara Kingdom from the 14th through the 16th centuries provided the basis for the 'old Indian hilt', and certainly reflected influences of considerably more ancient forms. The Mahrattas are of obscure origin, however as independant tribes they seem to have entered India prior to 11th century. They became organized as a power under Sivaji (1627-80). As Hindus in faith, they certainly would have used weapons of the forms known in India in early times, and situated in the western Deccan, they were well in contact with Portuguese held Goa. There there was brisk trade controlled by the Jesuits, and the contact with European weapons and blades described by Rawson took place, the Portuguese having been established there since c.1510. While it would be difficult to assign the origins of the khanda itself to the Mahrattas it does seem that the 'firangi' may be placed with them. It is also noted in Rawson (op.cit.p.28) that it is likely that the sword mentioned by Tod ("Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan", J.Tod, London 1829-32) as being worshipped by the Rajputs was the khanda, probably mounted in the old Indian hilt. Clearly these early swords were well known throughout Hindu India, although the Mahrattas were most likely the catalysts for introduction of the European style basket hilt to the khanda. Best regards, Jim