Bich'hwa
Encyclopedia
A bichawa is an India
n dagger with a loop hilt and a narrow undulating blade. It is named for its resemblance to the sting of a scorpion, for which the Hindi
name is bichawa. The weapon was based on the maru, or horn dagger created by the aboriginal Dravidians of south India
, and many bichawa have blades which retain the shape of buffalo horns. Early examples of the bichawa come from the medieval southern empire of Vijayanagara
(Vizianagaram). Being relatively easy to make, the bichawa has persisted into the 20th century as a decorative dagger.
are typically decorated with the face of a protective yali (demon) on the hilt. Some have finials to the pommel or even protruding laterally as quillons or guards. A few bichawa are forked or even double-bladed.
The weapon's small size meant it was easily concealed in a sleeve or waist band. A bichawa was often combined with a bagh nakh, either with the claws being added to the hilt of the bichawa, or the blade being added to one of the finger loops of the bagh nakh. The former type tended to be larger than the latter. This combination weapon, known as a bichawa bagh nak, was used by the Maratha war-leader Shivaji to assassinate Afzal Khan in the 17th century. Shivaji's weapon was named Bhawani or "life-giver", though some accounts suggest that this was the name of his sword.
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 dagger with a loop hilt and a narrow undulating blade. It is named for its resemblance to the sting of a scorpion, for which the Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
name is bichawa. The weapon was based on the maru, or horn dagger created by the aboriginal Dravidians of 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...
, and many bichawa have blades which retain the shape of buffalo horns. Early examples of the bichawa come from the medieval southern empire 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....
(Vizianagaram). Being relatively easy to make, the bichawa has persisted into the 20th century as a decorative dagger.
Construction and use
The bichawa 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 bichawa from south IndiaSouth 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...
are typically decorated with the face of a protective yali (demon) on the hilt. Some have finials to the pommel or even protruding laterally as quillons or guards. A few bichawa are forked or even double-bladed.
The weapon's small size meant it was easily concealed in a sleeve or waist band. A bichawa was often combined with a bagh nakh, either with the claws being added to the hilt of the bichawa, or the blade being added to one of the finger loops of the bagh nakh. The former type tended to be larger than the latter. This combination weapon, known as a bichawa bagh nak, was used by the Maratha war-leader Shivaji to assassinate Afzal Khan in the 17th century. Shivaji's weapon was named Bhawani or "life-giver", though some accounts suggest that this was the name of his sword.