Indian Edged Weapons in the Prince of Wales Museum

[Moin.]

Gents, had some time to kill last week with all the Holi and Good Friday Holidays. What better way to kill time than admire the collection of Arms and Armour in the Prince of Wales Museum, now known as Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghrahalaya.

The collection is pretty small compared to the likes of Salarjung Museum in Hyderabad. There are some rare gems like the swords and armour belonging to Emperor Akbar, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.
The entry fees to the museum is INR 60 with an additional INR 20 for permission to take photographs in the museum. I spent the entire day ogling at the arms and armour section only and returned. All the photographs are taken with a cell phone, so pardon the lack of sharpness or colour rendition. Luckily my mother can read Arabic and Farsi ( Persian). I had her decipher for me the engravings and the cartouches on the swords and Kataars. There is a sword which belongs to Emperor Aurangzeb in the display with a whole lot of other swords without any identification plaque. I don’t think the museum authorities are aware of this and the swords value !! The name of Emepror Aurangzeb is engraved on a small cartouche on the sword.

__________________________________________________________________________________

This is how the beautiful building looks like



There is a small display of jade handled daggers on the ground floor









Here’s the Display Panel




Here’s a Khanda Sword belonging to Sultan Alaudin Khilji

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alauddin_Khilji



One interesting thing to note is the inscription of most of the Indo-Persian Blades including the arms belonging to Emepror Akbar, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb is from Holy Quran -Surah Saaf verse 13:
Nasrul Minallah Wa Fatahun Qareeb
Meaning:
It's arabic : نَصْرٌ مِّن اللَّهِ وَفَتْحٌ قَرِيبٌ
In english: " Nasrun min Allahi, wa fat'hun kareeb"
Its translation: "help from Allah and a near victory"

[Moin.]

Here’s the sword belonging to Emeperor Shahjahan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahjahan










Here’s his Sosun Pata

The Sosun Pata is a derivate of the Greek Kopis like the Khukri of Nepal, Yataghan of Asia Minor and the Aydda Katti of South India

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopis



Here’s a close up of the Hilt



Closeup of the Hilts of the other swords in his armoury. The blade is watered Damascus with gold koftagiri work on the hilts









The Koftagiri work on this hilt is absolutely beautiful. It has the image of a lady making an offering to a saint or a holy man.










Here’s the display panel

[Moin.]

A very small display on the weapons of the Maratha warrior. The only museum in Mumbai , named Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghrahalaya and one Pata Sword, one FIrangi Sword, one bagh nakh and a superb Damascus blade which I am dead sure has no Marathi Origins.





A battle mace with a typical hindu box hilt and a khanjarali



his is the sword I was referring to above. The hilt is gold koftagiri work while the blade is rare kirk narduban or the ladder of the Prophet the most valued of Damascus blades
http://www.vikingsword.com/ethsword/pat05.html





A Pata in faulad with gold koftagiri work and arabic inscriptions !!!!!





The FIranging Blade with Markings in English. The lighting was poor and I was using a cell phone for photography !!

[Moin.]

Have taken more tha 200 photos. Will post the rest as time permits in a day or two.

[Mack The Knife]

Excellent stuff, Moin.

Thanks.

[Moin.]

Excellent stuff, Moin.

Thanks.

Thanks Mack, here is something you will find interesting.

[airgun_novice]

Thanks to you Moin, I shall view the weapons with a fresh new look on my next visit these summer hols. Next time I shall have an "edge" over my previous experiences and shall be rather "sharp".

BTW the observation on Shivaji was shared by me with an attendant during my last visit (last summer). I had suggested putting up of photos of some forts at least from the Indian/ British archives or the modern dilapidated state. The "fort" of Fort area is long gone and Sion fort has shriveled to just a single "well-trimmed" hill while those of Worli and Mahim are visible as remnants of ramparts from out-sea and display slums from in-land.

That way, Daji Laud Museum (outside of the Zoo) has some good information on the older folks and the society then. I sorta liked it.

In the Shivaji section they could have at least put photos of Sindhudurg and Raigad and Rajgad forts. Funnily, there was no distinct mention of the once mighty empires that panned half of India like Rashtrakuts, Chalukyas, Shalivahans, Yadavs of Deogiri and of course the all-India Mauryas. Or the map showing the height of Maratha Prowess when the Peshwas expanded from Attock (near Peshawar) to Tanjavur.

Can understand why the British subdued such information but why do Indians continue to ape the sahibs of yore pains me, more so since they so very valiantly changed the name of PWM to CSM.

One Q does spring up after seeing those wonderful pictures - Why did these Sultans have their name inscribed on their swords ? I mean, who would dare touch it even if the dude left it lying around ?

[Moin.]

Here's a small fraction of the personal armoury of the greatest of the Mughal Emperors, Emperor Akbar. He had a collection of more than 40 swords which he rotated on a daily basis. These swords have found way in museums and private collections across India and the UK.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbar

An interesting article in Economic Times

http://articles.economictimes.indiatime ... jput-sword

Here' one of his Khanda and Talwar in mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/1b3545/#2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehrangarh_Fort


Here is what is available in the Prince of Wales Museum



Crystal hilt with enamel work called kundankaari.



Beautiful damascus blade









BTW the third sword from the Top is a Yataghan with a crystal hilt and kundankaari work and damascened blade. The forward recurve Yatagan sword is also a derivative of the Greek Kopis like the Sosun Pata.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yatagan

[slingshot]

Moin,

Great thread. Thank you for this. Made my day

[Moin.]

Thanks to you Moin, I shall view the weapons with a fresh new look on my next visit these summer hols. Next time I shall have an "edge" over my previous experiences and shall be rather "sharp".

BTW the observation on Shivaji was shared by me with an attendant during my last visit (last summer). I had suggested putting up of photos of some forts at least from the Indian/ British archives or the modern dilapidated state. The "fort" of Fort area is long gone and Sion fort has shriveled to just a single "well-trimmed" hill while those of Worli and Mahim are visible as remnants of ramparts from out-sea and display slums from in-land.

That way, Daji Laud Museum (outside of the Zoo) has some good information on the older folks and the society then. I sorta liked it.

In the Shivaji section they could have at least put photos of Sindhudurg and Raigad and Rajgad forts. Funnily, there was no distinct mention of the once mighty empires that panned half of India like Rashtrakuts, Chalukyas, Shalivahans, Yadavs of Deogiri and of course the all-India Mauryas. Or the map showing the height of Maratha Prowess when the Peshwas expanded from Attock (near Peshawar) to Tanjavur.

Can understand why the British subdued such information but why do Indians continue to ape the sahibs of yore pains me, more so since they so very valiantly changed the name of PWM to CSM.

One Q does spring up after seeing those wonderful pictures - Why did these Sultans have their name inscribed on their swords ? I mean, who would dare touch it even if the dude left it lying around ?

Really sad Amol, so much to speak on Maratha History and Weapons and so less available. How sad is that. The Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad has more Maratha Weapons that the POW. Like i mentioned the Museum Authorirties are unaware they have a sword belonging to Emepror Aurangzed. It is lying unmarked without any plaque in the museum . It is inscribed in a small cartouche on the blade which my mother India read out for me. Generally the name of the maker is inscribed on the sword. Ofcourse when you are an Emperor of the Timur Dynasty, the rules dont apply now, do they lolllzzz.

Regards
Moin

[Moin.]

Moin,

Great thread. Thank you for this. Made my day

Chief; This is in our own back yard. We should be visisting this more often. We go gaga over Japo Katanas but the skill and technique required in doing these Indo Persian Damascus Blades was not less if not more. The Japos could never match the finesee of the ornamentation and embellishment that went on these weapons of war. It so saddens me when I see these rare treasures and pieces of Indian History on online auction houses across the world for sale to collectors and people with deep pockets. Each sword, each kataar would have so much of a story tell...!!!!

[brihacharan]

Moin,
> Thank you for the conducted tour - it was a great experience
> Your photographs are well captured & documented.
> Now a must visit shortly to see them - "Face to Face"
Briha

[Moin.]

Here's the sheild and armour of Emperor Akbar. Going by the size of the Armour I would guess he was 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 3 inches tall !!! The sheild and Armour are in Damascus with beautiful Koftagiri work (Gold Inlay). The Sheild has the 12 Zodiac Signs with the Emperors name inlaid in gold.

[Skyman]

Bravo, your effort is commendable.

[Moin.]

Here's a Mughal Soldier in Chain Mail Armour