Ayudha katti
Ayudha katti | |
---|---|
Kodagu | |
Service history | |
Used by | Kodava people |
Wars | Yes |
Specifications | |
Mass | 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) |
Length | 50 centimetres (20 in) |
Width | 9 centimetres (3.5 in) |
Blade type | Single edge |
Hilt type | wood, horn |
Scabbard/sheath | wood, silver |
Head type | steel |
Ayudha katti (also written ayda katti or aydha katti or आयुध कटि) is an indigenous weapon of war and tools to the
. The ayudha katti is developed from an implement used to cut through dense undergrowth. Unlike most blades, the ayudha katti is worn without a sheath.Origin
The ayudha katti is the traditional sword of the
During the colonial period, the British named the region "Coorg", a corruption of the Kannada word "kodaga" or "kodagu" meaning "hilly, steep". The word refers to the geographical condition of the region.[4]
Description
The length of the ayudha katti varies greatly. Some ayudha katti can reach up to 50 centimetres (20 in) long. There are two known forms of the ayudha katti. The 'war' form is mainly used for melee combat, and the 'prestige' form is worn for daily use. Unlike the prestige form, the war ayudha katti lacks the egg-shaped pommel plate on the base of the hilt. The ayudha katti is one of the rarest of the edged- weapons.
The blade of the ayudha katti measures about 38 centimetres (15 in) long. The sharpened edge is located on the concave side of the blade. The top (the non-sharpened edge) of the sword is initially concave, then it tapers slightly for about a quarter of the length until it becomes extremely convex, and then it tapers quickly until the point. The widest part of the blade reaches 9 centimetres (3.5 in) wide. The overall shape of ayudha katti is short and quite heavy. The shape somehow resembles the
The hilt of the ayudha katti can be made of wood or horn (usually of the water buffalo). The pommel is a plate with the shape if an egg and is made of same material as the hilt. The hilt is often decorated with traditional geometric or floral carvings.[3]
Ayudha katti is peculiarly worn without a
See also
- Moplah(similar, but with different hilt shape)
- Golok
- Pichangatti
References
- ^ Stone 2013, p. 84.
- ^ "Coorg (district, India)". Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
- ^ a b c Gahir & Spencer 2006, p. 129.
- ^ Ganapathy 1967, p. 28.
- ^ a b c Atkinson 2016.
- ^ Stone 2013, p. 456.
Cited works
- Atkinson, David J. (2016). "War Ayda Katti". Atkinson Swords. Atkinson Swords. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
- Gahir, Sunita; Spencer, Sharon, eds. (2006). Weapon - A Visual History of Arms and Armor. New York City: DK Publishing. ISBN 9780756622107.
- Ganapathy, B. D. (1967). Kodavas (Coorgs), their customs and culture. copies available at Kodagu. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- Stone, George Cameron (2013). A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: in All Countries and in All Times. Dover: Courier Corporation. ISBN 9780486131290.
- Thurston, Edgar (1909). Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume IV of VII. Library of Alexandria. .