Appearance of the Kukri in Classical South Indian Culture

[laEspadaAncha]

Hi Emanuel,

Thank you for both the links and for posting those illustrations!

I wondered the same thing about the early kukris, given the progression of 20th century military-pattern kukris transition from the more rounded spine to the more contemporary "kinked" angular spine... Then I found an earlier Indian kukri that had the angular kink lacking from the the more gentle curves of contemporary Nepali kukris, and upon viewing the friezes at Halebidu couldn't help but make the association.

I do think that my labeling of the swords / knives depicted in the friezes at Halebidu may have been prematurely presumptive. Persistence and luck paid off when I found this example online, with a Southwest Indian attribution:



This is a far more distinct example of an ayudha katti than I have previously seen, and indeed IMO a close match to the weapons depicted in the friezes at Halebidu.

Furthermore, in form it appears to have characteristics that significantly distinguish it from both the kukri - whether derived from the kopis, earlier Persian influences, or of independent origin - as well as from other expressions of the ayudha katti I have seen in print and on line. The distinctiveness of this particular example, would, IMHO, lend credence to Nidhi's suggestion of the existence of the forward-curved ayudha katti as an indigenous form.


And thank you for that most enlightening last post.

Regards,

Chris

[Emanuel]

Hi Chris,

This is type of sword in Elgood's book, a 16th century "flamboyant" sword. This is also why I asked about your definition of "khukri". Attached is an illustration from Rawson's The Indian Sword. Are all khukri?

I would say they all share certain characteristics with the khukri, but only the Nepalese type, with its unique set of characteristics (the cho and kaudi, for example) is a khukri .

The swords in this frieze panel you showed is very similar to the flamboyant sword, but obviously much earlier, Rawson actually shows one on right column...compare to the adya katti.

Cheers,
Emanuel

[laEspadaAncha]

Hi Emanuel,

Of course they're not "all" kukris, I am by no means suggesting any and all forward-curved Indian blades should be labeled as such. I am very familiar with the ayudha katti in its recognized form (in the 3 1/2 years I've spent in country since 1997 have always been on the look out for one). The kora is another distinctive forward-curved blade that no one would mistake as a kukri derivative.

I would however - as has the author - consider the latter five examples illustrated in the right-hand column ("forward-angled") to share enough common characteristics to consider the existence of common influences in their respective origins. However, as mentioned in an earlier post, the 12th C. weapons depicted in the friezes at Halebidu (as well as the example I posted above) are IMHO distinctive enough to merit consideration of - as you and Nidhi have suggested - an independent origin. The 18th C. kukri illustrated here (similar in design to an early Indian kukri in my possession) seems to more closely match the kopis in form than the aforementioned katti depicted in Hoysala art.

Anyway, another great illustration... I would say, based on those forms, the sword shown in my earlier post more closely resembles the Hoysala example (as well as the swords shown in the friezes at Halebidu) than the 16th C. "flamboyant sword" in your illustration (aside from maybe the hilt treatment).

Speaking of which, the illustration you posted (as well as its source) is previously unknown to me and the first attempt at a documented typology of forward-curving Indian edged weapons I have seen - IMO, alone worth the price of admission... thanks for the same.


Regards,

Chris

ETA: I just realized your reference to the "flamboyant" sword was regarding the photo I had included in my previous post, and have edited my post to reflect this.