kirach

[girigoswami]

Hello to all respected members

i am curious about one particular type of sword which was referred as Kirach, the piece i had seen was ornamental for military processions (locally called as Salami), however the quality i was told about Kirach is that they can be bended completely in a circle without breaking the blade. Am not sure if Kirach really is about an unbreakable blade or Spring steel blade, can anyone please throw some light on it.

[pistolero]

Dear Girgoswami,

I believe you are confusing yourself between either a ASSI, JHAJI or some maratha pattas which are flexible swords. Or the south indian Urumi.

The Kirach is a forward tapering sword, it is for the lack of a better description a not so straight sword, but straighter than a Sosun Patta!! The blade from the mid-section starts tapering and has a characteristic downward curvature, which can be observed while holding the blade, from a distance, the curvature is not so noticeable.

IMHO it will not bend 360 degrees.

Please re-check and post photos, so that we can be sure.

Hope that helps you

Regards,
Pistolero

[Katana]

Pistolero has just about said everything here. The kirach is largely a ceremonial sword, but is derived from cavalry applications where it was used as a mounted thrusting weapon. This development is of recent vintage, although I do not know why it's called a 'kirach'. maybe from kirsch, karch etc. The basic design is an European import into India.

[brihacharan]

Just adding to the posts above.....

The image below ia a very nice and rare Indian Kirash/kirach sword - the blade typically leaning forward gently similar to the sossun pattah sword, and distinct from most forms of curved Indo-persian sword like the tulwar/talwar and shamshir. This example has a beautifully made chiselled blade of high quality steel, a section of the front and the back edge are shaped with a reinforced fretted border, the blade length has a shallow gentle wide fuller for its length and crisply facetted chamfered edges, sharpened to the front and the back edge near the tip. The steel basket hilt with dark age patina, nice glossy appearance, the hand and knuckle guards bordered by chiselled dots, the edges pierced to take a padded lining. Dating to the 18th or early 19th century. Indo Persian.
Briha

[Katana]

Briha,

This is a sosun patta. Kirach has a narrower blade. I have one, I'll post pics sometime. Plus, the distal is sharp on both ends.

[TC]

Pistolero and Katana,
Since both of you are experts on Indian blades could you tell when did the Kirach originate ? I am asking because in at least five versions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata that I have read this weapon has been mentioned. Very intriguing.

TC

[pistolero]

Dear TC,

Did not know that the Kirach was mentioned in the Old Texts! This is news to me. I believe, the current Kirach we are talking about is more of a modern weapon, and as Katanaji pointed out a slender blade and largely ceremonial. To my mind Kirach as we know it now, came into being in the 1800's.

The Kirach is very similar to a Rapier albeit different characteristic of the downward slope, which as Katanaji pointed out was for Cavalry use. Could very well be an "officers sword" of its time and several examples look mostly of European origin. It is very likely that this sword was christened with the name of "Kirach" in India.

The earliest reference I know of, are the sculptures at Harsanath, Sikar, where the forward sloping blade is depicted. However several south Indian swords 'Flamboyant Swords' as they are commonly referred to were, had a concave curve, and are well documented in South Indian Sculpture. I do have one, and will post pictures, when Im back in India.

I always thought that the earlier swords, would be more like Roman Swords, or the Spoon Shaped Patissa/Khanda type weapons. Would love to learn more!!!!

Katanaji please shed some light on this topic, I guess I am really going to have to read the authentic books, rather than the short versions, which I have read so far. Most interesting!! Thank you TC!

Regards,
Pistolero

[TC]

Thank you so much Pistolero.
I had almost forgotten the Kirach and the Ramayana till I bumped into this thread. Even as a kid I was very keen about weapons and as i grew up Ramayana, Mahabharata and of course the Bhagwat Geeta got into me purely because of their great philosophical value. But I distinctly remember the list of weapons mentioned in certain portions of the two epics such as Lord Ram preparing for war against Ravana and his army of apes hoarding various weapons and undergoing training under Lakshman. It was an some kind of an indicator that the Apes, being non-Aryan nomadic tribes, were not accustomed to the use and utility of modern weapons used by Aryans. The Vindhya mountain range seemed to have been the line of demarcation between the two worlds. Much later historians described this population as the Dravidians... As we get the feeling of a nation in our anthem "....Punjab, Sind, Gujarat, Maratha, Dravida, Utkala, Banga..."

There were mentions of weapons such as Kirach, Parigh, Shool, Mushal et al in several parts over and above the bows and arrows (or missiles as modern scientists claiming an alien connection between man and god would want us to believe). Will wait for Kanata to shed some light.

You and I gave discussed your collection many times... will wait for some pictures



TC

[girigoswami]

with respect to all learned member,
have more clarity about Kirach, however the one i had seen was quite narrow blade, barely an inch wide.

[pistolero]

Get some pictures, without that we wont be much help