Katara (dagger)

Katara
Ornamented katara
Type	Dagger
Place of origin	India
Specifications
Hilt type	Horizontal

The katara or suwaiya (Tamil: கட்டாரி kaţţāri, Devanāgarī: कटार kaţāra, Panjabi: kataar) is a type of push dagger from India. 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, it is the most famous and characteristic of Indian daggers. Ceremonial katara were also used in worship.

History

The katara originated in Tamil Nadu where its Dravidian name was kattari before being altered to katara in the north. The earliest forms occur in the medieval Deccan kingdom of Vijayanagara . 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.^{[citation needed]} The Maratha gauntlet sword or pata 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 or the Japanese katana. Among the Rajputs, Sikhs and Mughals, 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 tigers 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, 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. 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 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 Indian 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. 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 boxing. 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 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 VIII's character, Kiros, uses a pair of katara (misspelled Katal).
• Voldo of the video game series Soul Calibur wields a pair of katara.
• The katara and other fist-weapons are class-specific weapons for the Assassin from Diablo II.
• In the MMORPG Ragnarok Online the Assassin class can use katara.
• In the role playing game MapleStory, the dual blade class uses a katara as one of their two weapons, the other weapon being a dagger.
• Karl Ruprecht Kroenen from the Hellboy series also uses a katara.
• In Deadliest Warrior, a standard and 3-bladed katara was used in the episode featuring the Roman Centurion vs India's Rajput warrior. The katara easily disembowled the pig carcass, even with mail armor on. Although the Centurion's Dolabra 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 5 are based on the katara.
• In Assassin's Creed: Revelations multiplayer, the Sentinel uses a long Katara.
• In the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons, the "punching dagger", modeled after a katara, is an available weapon.