Incomplete India Kukri for Translation and Comment

Battara · 5th July 2020, 09:11 AM

Greetings folks!

Here is a kukri that I think is from northern India and possibly from the early to mid 1800s. Yes the pommel disk is gone. It might be laminated (will have to etch test).

Also there is a Hindi inscription one the thick spine (arsenal mark?) that needs translation.

This is a huge and heavy piece that belongs to my brother-in-law.

bhushan_lawate · 5th July 2020, 12:05 PM

hello,

The snap posted is inverted. however, the readings are as below:

Su Jai (3rd letter is not clear) 1 4 6 Shri (next is not clear) Chan Dra

so this refers to the initials and an arsenal no. probably.

Also, based on the script style as well as the way it is done. it appears to have been done at some later point than the weapon itself.

Good Kukhri

Regards,
Bhushan

Silver John · 5th July 2020, 08:06 PM

Hi Battara,

The blade is a Nepalese Army piece, marked to the era of Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana (1901-1929), that has been placed in a tulwar handle. I’ve seen quite a few like this and suspect that the tulwar handles were added at a later date to make the pieces more attractive to collectors.

Regards

Battara · 5th July 2020, 08:50 PM

Thank you folks. Great help.

So I was way off one the date............

On the tulsa handle - I have seen several of these made at earlier dates with tulwar hilts as well and they were correct with matching koftgary.

How does one tell if the hilt is original or a later addition?

Battara · 5th July 2020, 08:57 PM

Here are 2 pictures of a form of (and great) kukri with koftgari with tulwar hilt.

It was sold from Artzi years ago.

RobT · 7th July 2020, 02:43 AM

Hi All,

As bhushan_lawate noted, the inscription is upside down. The inscription is in two parts. One part is military info and the other part is a phrase of praise. The translation I propose for the military info is in part based on the book Guns of the Gurkhas by John Walter (hopefully I am interpreting his work correctly). The phrase of praise was translated by Dr Ben Judkins in his article about collecting the Nepalese military khukri.

The first two characters are an abbreviation for the Surjadal Company. The third character is the unit number (in this case it appears to be 8). The vertical slash isn't a character. It just separates the company and unit info from the weapon number (which in this case appears to be either forty six or forty eight).

The phrase of praise says Shree tin Chandra (thrice honored Chandra). The first character (shree) is an honorific which can mean various things ranging from honorable to beloved to fortunate but in this case probably means honorable. This honorific can be applied to deities, mortals, and organizations alike. I believe that women in general can be called shree (hence the name for the popular TV drama on the subcontinent). The second character (which looks like a three with a tail on it) is tin and it does mean three. As an interesting aside, from what I have read, our so called Arabic numerals 0-9 were actually a Hindu invention. The Moslems picked them up from the Hindus and passed them on to the west. The last two characters chan and dra together form Chandra which is a name for the moon on the subcontinent (and also the name for the god of the moon). Chandra is also a popular name for children of both sexes. In this case, the Chandra in question is Chandra Shumshir Jang Bahadur Rana who was prime minister of Nepal from 1901 to 1929. It was he who ordered the inscriptions be placed on Nepalese military arms.

Sincerely,
RobT

Battara · 8th July 2020, 02:06 AM

W

W!

Great info Robert. Many thanks!

Thanks again to all of you for your help!

Rick · 8th July 2020, 08:23 AM

I see a star or sun mark on the blade.
Are all the fissures seen on the surface a sign that the blade was not forged at the proper temperature?

Battara · 8th July 2020, 07:33 PM

I mentioned that to my brother-in-law Rick.

Rick · 9th July 2020, 07:28 PM

How lucky you are to have a family member that shares your interests Jose.

Sure wish I did.

5th July 2020, 09:11 AM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	Incomplete India Kukri for Translation and Comment Greetings folks! Here is a kukri that I think is from northern India and possibly from the early to mid 1800s. Yes the pommel disk is gone. It might be laminated (will have to etch test). Also there is a Hindi inscription one the thick spine (arsenal mark?) that needs translation. This is a huge and heavy piece that belongs to my brother-in-law. Attached Images

5th July 2020, 08:57 PM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	Here are 2 pictures of a form of (and great) kukri with koftgari with tulwar hilt. It was sold from Artzi years ago. Attached Images

7th July 2020, 02:43 AM	#6
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 489	Translation Hi All, As bhushan_lawate noted, the inscription is upside down. The inscription is in two parts. One part is military info and the other part is a phrase of praise. The translation I propose for the military info is in part based on the book Guns of the Gurkhas by John Walter (hopefully I am interpreting his work correctly). The phrase of praise was translated by Dr Ben Judkins in his article about collecting the Nepalese military khukri. The first two characters are an abbreviation for the Surjadal Company. The third character is the unit number (in this case it appears to be 8). The vertical slash isn't a character. It just separates the company and unit info from the weapon number (which in this case appears to be either forty six or forty eight). The phrase of praise says Shree tin Chandra (thrice honored Chandra). The first character (shree) is an honorific which can mean various things ranging from honorable to beloved to fortunate but in this case probably means honorable. This honorific can be applied to deities, mortals, and organizations alike. I believe that women in general can be called shree (hence the name for the popular TV drama on the subcontinent). The second character (which looks like a three with a tail on it) is tin and it does mean three. As an interesting aside, from what I have read, our so called Arabic numerals 0-9 were actually a Hindu invention. The Moslems picked them up from the Hindus and passed them on to the west. The last two characters chan and dra together form Chandra which is a name for the moon on the subcontinent (and also the name for the god of the moon). Chandra is also a popular name for children of both sexes. In this case, the Chandra in question is Chandra Shumshir Jang Bahadur Rana who was prime minister of Nepal from 1901 to 1929. It was he who ordered the inscriptions be placed on Nepalese military arms. Sincerely, RobT

5th July 2020, 12:05 PM	#2
bhushan_lawate Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: India Posts: 77	hello, The snap posted is inverted. however, the readings are as below: Su Jai (3rd letter is not clear) 1 4 6 Shri (next is not clear) Chan Dra so this refers to the initials and an arsenal no. probably. Also, based on the script style as well as the way it is done. it appears to have been done at some later point than the weapon itself. Good Kukhri Regards, Bhushan

5th July 2020, 08:06 PM	#3
Silver John Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 31	Hi Battara, The blade is a Nepalese Army piece, marked to the era of Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana (1901-1929), that has been placed in a tulwar handle. I’ve seen quite a few like this and suspect that the tulwar handles were added at a later date to make the pieces more attractive to collectors. Regards

5th July 2020, 08:50 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	Thank you folks. Great help. So I was way off one the date............ On the tulsa handle - I have seen several of these made at earlier dates with tulwar hilts as well and they were correct with matching koftgary. How does one tell if the hilt is original or a later addition?

8th July 2020, 02:06 AM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	W W! Great info Robert. Many thanks! Thanks again to all of you for your help!

8th July 2020, 08:23 AM	#8
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	I see a star or sun mark on the blade. Are all the fissures seen on the surface a sign that the blade was not forged at the proper temperature?

8th July 2020, 07:33 PM	#9
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	I mentioned that to my brother-in-law Rick.

9th July 2020, 07:28 PM	#10
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	How lucky you are to have a family member that shares your interests Jose. Sure wish I did.