This horseman is pretty much a mirror image of the previous horseman. The only difference is that his swords are the standard khandas : straight swords with tulwar hilts.
The warrior under the horse in front is armed with a katar in his left hand and whatever remains of a sword in his right hand.
2 comments:
Hi really thanks for these pics and the explanation. Was looking for something like this. The warrior on horseback is having a straight edge sword. Am not able to make out whether it is double edged. Can you?? This sort of straight edge sword is called "katthi" in South, which seems cognate of the khanda and the Sanskrit khadga. The lower picture of the two men with as you mentioned "funky looking" swords and dressed in armor, I think such sword are called "ari val" is Tamil. Though I'm not sure whether Ari Val specifically applies to curved swords. Another significant thing from my point of view is this - the horseman above definitely seems to be an aristocrat, of noble blood, he seems to be riding or rather leading a charge into a battle, yet he does not seem to be armored. Indeed he is scantily clad with only a dhoti. The two men below seem to be commoners, infantrymen and yet they are fitted with armor. How is this possible?? Btw pls tell me from which site these photos were taken. Is it Halebid, if so which monument?? Thanks
Histiriophile
These were taken in Vellore, in Tamil Nadu. The mandapam where I found these was built by Nayaks who were chieftains under the Vijayanagara Kings. That would explain the similarity to Halebid.
Hmm, the arival is a slightly front-curved hatchet found in tamil nadu. Doesn't look anything like the swords here.
I don't know why the horsemen aren't armoured. You would think that a guy stepping out armed as he is would think to put on some armour :) Maybe he was trying to show off to the girls at the parade? :)
As for the horseman's sword, it definitely looks like the khanda.
Read my description of the other horseman too.
What is your interest in this?
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