Katar
Encyclopedia
The katara or suwaiya also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal...
: कटार kaţāra, Panjabi: kataar) is a type of push dagger
Push dagger
A push dagger is a short-bladed dagger with a "T" handle designed to be grasped in the hand so that the blade protrudes from the front of one's fist, typically between the 2nd and 3rd finger...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is characterised by its H-shaped horizontal hand grip, which results in the blade of the sword sitting above the user's knuckles. Unique to South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, it is the most famous and characteristic of Indian daggers. Ceremonial katara were also used in worship.
History
The katara originated in Tamil NaduTamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
where its Dravidian
Dravidian languages
The Dravidian language family includes approximately 85 genetically related languages, spoken by about 217 million people. They are mainly spoken in southern India and parts of eastern and central India as well as in northeastern Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, and...
name was kattari before being altered to katara in the north
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
. The earliest forms occur in the medieval Deccan kingdom of Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....
. Katara dating back to this period often had a leaf- or shell-like knuckle-guard to protect the back of the hand, but this was discarded by the latter half of the 17th century. The Maratha gauntlet sword or pata
Pata (weapon)
The pata, patta, dand patta or dandpatta is an Indian sword with a gauntlet integrated as a handguard. Traditionally, Maratha warriors were trained to fight with dual patas by bearing one in each hand. Alternatively, a single pata was used in addition to a belt, javelin, or axe in the other hand...
is thought to have been developed from the katara. As the weapon spread throughout India it became something of a status symbol, much like the Southeast Asian kris
Kris
The kris or keris is an asymmetrical dagger or sword nowadays most strongly associated with the culture of Indonesia, but also indigenous to Malaysia, Southern Thailand and Brunei. It is known as kalis in the southern Philippines. The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade , but many have...
or the Japanese katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
. Among the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s, Sikhs and Mughal
Mughal (tribe)
The term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...
s, princes and nobles were often portrayed wearing a katara at their side. This was not only a precaution for self-defense, but it was also meant to show their wealth and position. Upper-class Mughals would even hunt tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s with katara. For a hunter to kill a tiger with such a short-range weapon was considered the surest sign of bravery and martial skill.
From the 16th century onwards, katara were often made from broken sword-blades. Even old imported European blades were used, especially by the Maratha Empire
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
, and were riveted to projections from the hilt. After India was colonised by the British, numerous katara were made for the European collectors' market which placed little value on functionality. Among these were the scissors katara with two or three blades that folded together, appearing to be one, until the handle bars were pressed together, when they opened out. These novelty weapons were popular among foreigners but were impractical in actual combat. For example, the blades couldn't be opened after they are thrusted into an opponent's body. More importantly, if they were wielded with the blades opened, all the force of the blow would have to be absorbed by the hinge-pins at the root of the blades.
In another modern katar design, single-shot pistols are built into either side of the weapon. In the 18th century, some traditional katara were refurbished with this innovation. The pistols are meant to deal the killing blow after the katara has been thrust into the enemy. Like most combination weapons, the effectiveness of the pistol-katar is doubtful. The katara ceased to be in common use by the 19th century, though they were still forged for decorative purposes. During the 18th century and 19th century, a distinctive group of katara were produced at Bundi in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. They were ornately crafted and their hilts were covered in gold foil. These katara were shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Crystal Palace, London. Since then, the weapon has sometimes been mistakenly referred to in English as a "Bundi dagger".
Characteristics
The basic katara has a short, wide, triangular blade. Its peculiarity lies in the handle which is made up of two parallel bars connected by two or more cross-pieces, one of which is at the end of the side bars and is fastened to the blade. The remainder forms the handle which is at right angle to the blade. Some handles have long arms extending across the length of the user's forearm. The handle is generally of all-steel construction and is forged in one piece together with the blade.The blade, typically measuring 1–3 feet in length, is usually cut with a number of fullers. Most katara have straight blades, but in south India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
they are commonly wavy. South Indian blades are often made broad at the hilt and taper in straight lines to the point, and elaborately ribbed by grooves parallel to the edges. Occasionally the blades are slightly curved, making them suited for slashing attacks. Some blades are forked into two points, which would later develop into the scissors katara.
The force of a katara thrust could be so great that many blades were thickened at the point to prevent them from bending or breaking. This also strengthened their use against mail. All katara with thickened tips are commonly described as "armour-piercing", but it's likely that only narrow and slender blades made this function possible. Such a weapon was capable of piercing textile, mail, and even plate armor. This quality was preferred for warfare, where an opponent was more likely to be armor-clad, as opposed to single combat.
The India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n nobility often wore ornamental katara as a symbol of their social status. The hilts may be covered in enamel, gems, or gold foil. Similarly, figures and scenes were chiselled onto the blade. Sheathes, generally made from watered-steel, were sometimes pierced with decorative designs. The heat and moisture of India's climate made steel an unsuitable material for a dagger sheath, so they were covered in fabric such as velvet or silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
. Some katara served as a sheath to fit one or two smaller ones inside.
Techniques
Because the katara's blade is in line with the user's arm, the basic attack is a direct thrust identical to a punch, although it could also be used for slashing. This design allows the fighter to put their whole weight into a thrust. Typical targets include the head and upper body, similar to boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. The sides of the handle could be used for blocking but it otherwise has little defensive capability. As such, the wielder must be agile enough to dodge the opponent's attacks and strike quickly, made possible because of the weapon's light weight and small size. Indian martial arts
Indian martial arts
The Indian subcontinent is home to a variety of fighting styles. In Sanskrit they may be collectively referred to as ' or '. The former is a compound of the words and , meaning "knowledge of the sword" or "knowledge of weaponry"...
in general make extensive use of agility and acrobatic maneuvers. As far back as the 16th century, there was at least one fighting style which focused on fighting with a pair of katara, one in each hand.
In popular culture
- Final Fantasy VIIIFinal Fantasy VIIIis a role-playing video game released for the PlayStation in 1999 and for Windows-based personal computers in 2000. It was developed and published by Square as the Final Fantasy series' eighth title, removing magic point-based spell-casting and the first title to consistently use realistically...
s character, Kiros, uses a pair of katara (misspelled Katal). - VoldoVoldois a fictional character in the Soul series of video games. Created by Namco's Project Soul division, he first appeared in Soul Edge, and later in all games of the Soulcalibur saga with the exception of Soulcalibur Legends. His likeness has been used for merchandise related to the series, ranging...
of the video game series Soul CaliburSoul Caliburis a 3D, weapons-based fighting game developed by Project Soul and produced by Namco. It is the second game in the Soul series, preceeded by Soul Edge. It was released in arcades in 1998, and it ran on the Namco System 12 hardware. In 1999 it was ported to the Dreamcast with improved graphics and...
wields a pair of katara. - The katara and other fist-weapons are class-specific weapons for the Assassin from Diablo IIDiablo IIDiablo II is a dark fantasy/horror-themed hack and slash, with elements of the role playing game and dungeon crawl genres. It was released for Windows and Mac OS in 2000 by Blizzard Entertainment, and was developed by Blizzard North. It is a direct sequel to the 1996 hit PC game, Diablo.Diablo II...
. - In the MMORPGMMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
Ragnarok OnlineRagnarok OnlineRagnarok Online , often referred to as RO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG created by GRAVITY Co., Ltd. based on the manhwa Ragnarok by Lee Myung-jin. It was first released in South Korea on 31 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows and has since been released in many other...
the Assassin class can use katara. - In the role playing game MapleStoryMapleStoryMapleStory is a free-to-play, 2D, side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by the South Korean company Wizet. Several versions of the game are available for specific countries or regions, and each is published by various companies such as Nexon...
, the dual blade class uses a katara as one of their two weapons, the other weapon being a daggerDaggerA dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
. - Karl Ruprecht KroenenKarl Ruprecht KroenenKarl Ruprecht Kroenen is a fictional character in the Hellboy comic book series, created by Mike Mignola.In the comics, Kroenen was a relatively unremarkable Nazi SS scientist, whose most distinguishing characteristic was that he always wore a gas mask and protective bodysuit, which Mignola...
from the HellboyHellboyHellboy is a comic book superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 , and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers...
series also uses a katara. - In Deadliest WarriorDeadliest WarriorDeadliest Warrior is a television program in which information on historical or modern warriors and their weapons are used to determine which of them is the "deadliest" based upon tests performed during each episode...
, a standard and 3-bladed katara was used in the episode featuring the Roman CenturionCenturionA centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
vs India's RajputRajputA Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
warrior. The katara easily disembowled the pig carcass, even with mail armor on. Although the Centurion's DolabraDolabraThe dolabra is a versatile tool used by the people in Italy since ancient times. The dolabra could serve as a pickaxe used by miners and excavators, a priest's implement for ritual religious slaughtering of animals and as an entrenching tool used in Roman infantry tactics....
axe gained the judges' edge due to it's reach, the kill count of the katara at the end of the episode was more than twice as much, proving it to be a far more efficient killing weapon. - The Drazi Blades in Babylon 5Babylon 5Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
are based on the katara. - In Assassin's Creed: RevelationsAssassin's Creed: RevelationsAssassin's Creed: Revelations is a video game in the Assassin's Creed franchise developed and published by Ubisoft Montreal. The game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 15, 2011. For Microsoft Windows, the game is delayed until December 2, 2011...
multiplayer, the Sentinel uses a long Katara. - In the 3rd edition of Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, the "punching dagger", modeled after a katara, is an available weapon.