Katar (dagger)

The katar or katara, is a type of push dagger from India. The weapon is characterised by its H-shaped horizontal hand grip which results in the blade sitting above the user's knuckles. Unique to South Asia, it is the most famous and characteristic of Indian daggers. Ceremonial katar were also used in worship.

Names

Katar is also known as Tamil: கட்டாரி kaţţāri or குத்துவாள் kuttuvāḷ meaning "fist blade"(Fist is incorrect as Kuttu means stab/stabbing according to context)(Sanskrit: कट्टार kaţāra or kaţārī, Hindi: कटार kaṭāra or kaṭāri, Kannada: ಕಠಾರಿ kaṭhāri, Malayalam: കട്ടാരം katāram , Marathi: कट्यार kaṭyāra.

History

The katar originated in southern India where its original name was kattari before being altered to katara (romanized as "katar" by the British) in the north. The earliest forms occur in the medieval Vijayanagara Empire. Katar 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 later half of the 17th century. Its development may have been related to the pata. As the weapon spread throughout the region it became something of a status symbol, much like the Southeast Asian kris or the Japanese katana. Princes and nobles were often portrayed wearing a katar 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 Rajputs and Mughals would even hunt tigers with a pair of katar. For a hunter to kill a tiger with such a short-range weapon was considered the surest sign of bravery and martial skill.