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Mardani Khel
Mardani khel is an armed Indian martial art from Maharashtra. It is particularly known for its use of the uniquely Indian patta (sword) and ''vita'' (corded lance). The early history of mardani khel as a distinct system is difficult to trace prior to the 1600s, but it is said to owe its development to the particular geographic conditions of Maharashtra. A hilly region characterized by valleys and caves, the inhabitants became expert horsemen who favoured light armour and highly mobile cavalry units during war. History Maratha empire Mardani khel began its rise to prominence during the early 1600s when the Deccan sultanates relied on the guerilla tactics of Maratha units led by Shahaji. His son Shivaji Raje Bhosale learned the art of fighting from a young age and by his adolescence was already proficient in the use of various arms. His weapon of choice was a 4-foot sword named Bhawani. At the age of 17, Shivaji took advantage of the chaotic affairs of the Deccan and subverted Bija ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Modern humans arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa no later than 55,000 years ago., "Y-Chromosome and Mt-DNA data support the colonization of South Asia by modern humans originating in Africa. ... Coalescence dates for most non-European populations average to between 73–55 ka.", "Modern human beings—''Homo sapiens''—originated in Africa. Then, int ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maratha Light Infantry
The Maratha Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It traces its lineage to the Bombay Sepoys, raised in 1768, making it the most senior light infantry regiment in the Indian Army. The class composition of the regiment was and is primarily formed by Maratha recruits from the former Maratha Empire. The men are mostly drawn from all over the state of Maharashtra, with some percentage from Marathi-speaking areas of Karnataka including Coorg. The regimental centre has been in Belgaum, Karnataka, since 1922, which was part of the Bombay Presidency at that time. The battle cry of Maratha Light Infantry is, ''"Bola Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai (Say Victory To King Shivaji)"''. The regiment has won over 60 battle honours, including 21 in World War I. History Pre-independence The Marathas were a potent force in 16th, 17th, and 18th century India. Their military qualities were brilliantly optimised in their historic campaigns against the Mughals und ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gatka
Gatka (; ; hi, गतका; ur, ) is a form of martial art associated primarily with the Sikhs of the Punjab and other related ethnic groups, such as Hindkowans. It is a style of stick-fighting, with wooden sticks intended to simulate swords. The Punjabi name, , refers to the wooden stick used and this term might have originated as a diminutive of a Sanskrit word, , meaning "mace". The stick used in Gatka is made of wood and is usually long, with a thickness of around . It comes with a fitted leather hilt, and is often decorated with Punjabi-style multi-coloured threads. The other weapon used in the sport is a shield, natively known as . It is round in shape, measuring , and is made of dry leather. It is filled with either cotton or dry grass to protect the hand of player in case of full contact hit by an opponent. Gatka originated in the Punjab in the 15th century. There has been a revival during the later 20th century, with an International Gatka Federation was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Martial Arts
Indian martial arts refers to the fighting systems of the Indian subcontinent. A variety of terms are used for the English phrases “Indian martial arts”, deriving from ancient sources. While they may seem to imply specific disciplines (e.g. archery, armed combat), by Classical times they were used generically for all fighting systems. Among the most common terms today, '' śastra-vidyā'', is a compound of the words ' (weapon) and ' (knowledge). ''Dhanurveda'' derives from the words for bow (') and knowledge ('), the “science of archery” in Puranic literature, later applied to martial arts in general. The Vishnu Purana text describes dhanuveda as one of the traditional eighteen branches of “applied knowledge” or upaveda, along with ''shastrashastra'' or military science. A later term, ''yuddha kalā'', comes from the words ''yuddha'' meaning fight or combat and ''kalā'' meaning art or skill. The related term ''śastra kalā'' (lit. weapon art) usually refers specific ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bichuwa
The bichuwa or bichawa ( hi, बिछुवा, ur, بچھوا) is a dagger, originating from the Indian subcontinent, with a loop hilt and a narrow undulating sharp blade. It is named for its resemblance to the sting of a scorpion, for which the Hindi name is ''bichuwa''. The weapon was based on the maduvu, or horn dagger created in South India, and many bichuwa have blades which retain the shape of buffalo horns. Early examples of the bichuwa come from the medieval southern Karnataka empire of Vijayanagara. Being relatively easy to make, the bichuwa has persisted into the 20th century as a decorative dagger. Construction and use The bichuwa usually has a narrow recurved blade and a simple looped handle which may be cut with chevrons. It generally measures just over 30 centimetres. The handle sometimes loops into a knuckleguard. The all-metal hilt is often cast in one piece. Medieval bichuwa from south India are typically decorated with the face of a protective ''yali'' (dem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bagh Naka
The bagh nakh, vagh nakh, or vagh nakhya ( mr, वाघनख / वाघनख्या, bn, বাঘনখ, hi, बाघ नख, ur, باگھ نکھ, lit. tiger claw) is a "fist-load, claw-like" dagger, originating from the Indian subcontinent, designed to fit over the knuckles or be concealed under and against the palm. It consists of four or five curved blades affixed to a crossbar or glove, and is designed to slash through skin and muscle. It is believed to have been inspired by the armament of big cats, and the term ''bagh nakh'' itself means tiger's claw in Hindi. History There are conflicting reports of the time period in which the bagh nakh first appeared. Poisoned bagh nakh had been used by the Rajput clans for assassinations. The most well-known usage of the weapon was by the first Maratha leader Shivaji who used a bichuwa and bagh nakh to kill the Bijapur general Afzal Khan. It is a popular weapon among the Nihang Sikhs who wear it in their turbans and often hold ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Katara (dagger)
The katar is a type of push dagger from the Indian subcontinent. The weapon is characterized by its H-shaped horizontal hand grip which results in the blade sitting above the user's knuckles. Unique to the Indian subcontinent, it is the most famous and characteristic of Indian daggers. Ceremonial katars were also used in worship. Etymology Having originated in South India, the weapon's earliest name-form was likely the Tamil (). It is alternatively known in Tamil as () which means "stabbing blade". This was adapted into Sanskrit as () or . Due to the schwa deletion in Indo-Aryan languages however, the word often came to be rendered as "katar" in modern Hindi and by extension in colonial transliterations. Other regional names for the weapon include () in Kannada, () in Telugu, () in Malayalam, () in Marathi, , () in Panjabi, and () or in Hindi. History The katar was created in Southern India, its earliest forms being closely associated with the 14th-century Vijayanaga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bow And Arrow
The bow and arrow is a ranged weapon system consisting of an elastic launching device (bow) and long-shafted projectiles (arrows). Humans used bows and arrows for hunting and aggression long before recorded history, and the practice was common to many prehistoric cultures. They were important weapons of war from ancient history until the early modern period, where they were rendered increasingly obsolete by the development of the more powerful and accurate firearms, and were eventually dropped from warfare. Today, bows and arrows are mostly used for hunting and sports. Archery is the art, practice, or skill of using bows to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 A person who shoots arrows with a bow is called a bowman or an archer. Someone who makes bows is known as a bowyer,Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 31 someone who makes arrows is a fletcher,Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 56 and someone who manufactures metal arrowheads is an arrowsmit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kukri
The kukri () or khukuri ( ne, खुकुरी, ) is a type of machete with a distinct recurve in its blade. It serves multiple purposes as a melee weapon and also as a regular cutting tool throughout most of South Asia. The ''kukri'', ''khukri'', and ''kukkri'' spellings are of Indian English origin, with the original Nepalese English spelling being ''khukuri''. Originating from the Indian subcontinent, the kukri is the national weapon of Nepal, traditionally serving the role of a basic utility knife for the Nepali-speaking Gurkhas, and consequently is a characteristic weapon of the Nepali Army. There have been, and still are many myths surrounding the kukri since its earliest recorded use in the 7th century—most notably that a traditional custom revolves around the blade in which it must draw blood, owing to its sole purpose as a fighting weapon, before being sheathed. However, they are frequently used as regular utility tools. History Researchers trace the origin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle-axe
A battle axe (also battle-axe, battle ax, or battle-ax) is an axe specifically designed for combat. Battle axes were specialized versions of utility axes. Many were suitable for use in one hand, while others were larger and were deployed two-handed. Axes designed for warfare ranged in weight from just over , and in length from just over to upwards of , as in the case of the Danish axe or the sparth axe. Cleaving weapons longer than 150 cm would arguably fall into the category of polearms. Overview Through the course of human history, commonplace objects have been pressed into service as weapons. Axes, by virtue of their ubiquity, are no exception. Besides axes designed for combat, there were many battle axes that doubled as tools. Axes could be modified into deadly projectiles as well (see the francisca for an example). Axes were often cheaper than swords and considerably more available. Battle axes generally weigh far less than modern splitting axes, especially mauls ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maduvu
The Maduvu, also known as a ''maru'' or ''madu'', is a weapon from India. It is one of the many weapons used in the Tamil martial art Silambam. More commonly known as a madu, it is also referred to as a ''maan kombu'' after the deer horns from which it is traditionally made, specifically those of the Indian blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''). A madu is treated like a double-bladed dagger. It typically consists of two blackbuck horns pointing in opposite directions connected by two crossbars which also act as a handle. Silambam experts use this weapon to confront opponents in various ways, both defensive and offensive. Later variations were often tipped with steel and sometimes fitted with a plate of leather or steel to act as a shield. In Punjab, a madu is typically constructed entirely of steel. A similar weapon, consisting of a handle mounted on an antelope horn, was used as a crutch, and served as a self-defense implement for the jogi, who were forbidden by their order to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dhal (shield)
The dhal is a type of shield found in the Indian subcontinent. They are nearly always geometrically round and yet they vary in diameter from about eight inches to twenty-four inches. Some are nearly flat while others are strongly convex or curved. The edges may be flat or rolled back in the reverse direction to that of the curvature of the shield. Dhal shields were either made from metal or hide. Materials Leather shields were made from a great variety of animals found in the Indian subcontinent. The hide shields were made from either water buffalo, sambar deer, Indian elephant, or Indian rhinoceros } The Indian rhinoceros (''Rhinoceros unicornis''), also called the Indian rhino, greater one-horned rhinoceros or great Indian rhinoceros, is a rhinoceros species native to the Indian subcontinent. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red Li .... The rhinoceros shields were the most prized variant among leather shields. Construction References External links * Horsham Mus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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