The Indian Sword by Philip S. Rawson, originally published 1968.
This book plays an essential role as a main source in Kukri research and therefore some parts are uploaded.
All images can be clicked on for larger image resolution.
P.S. Rawson has published several books on South Asian and South East Asian art and a well known name
within the Asian art world.
Heritage Knives strongly suggests any serious researcher to get a hold of a copy.
Heritage Knives aims not only to make great traditional and utility Kukri knives, reproduced military Kukri knives for hard use and other blades but also to play a strong role within Kukri research.
Less myths, more science in both the making process and historical research, in the Kukri World.
Feel free to contact us if you are carrying out or planning to do research on the Kukri/Khukuri, Gurkhas,
Nepalese and/or Himalayan Arms & Armour.
"Many of the small Kukri knives carried in the sheaths of Kukris have their pommels
carved into the form of lion-heads."
"Kukri - "Far the best known forms of Nepalese swords are the two commonly associated with the Gurkhas, the Kukri and the Kora. Despite the fact that in modern times the Kukri has come to be regarded as the national weapon of the Gurkhas, its form shows that it is a weapon of purely Indian descent, related to the Kopis-bladed sword of Ajanta, and the modern Rajput Sosun Pattah."
"...members of all classes of society in Nepal owned and always carried a Kukri in a belted sheath which contained as well one or more smaller knifes, and often a purse holding flint and steel for making fire.
The quality and richness of the sheath and its trappings, often very fine, show the wealth of the owner. The Kukri, however, was fundamentally an implement for cutting though the dense jungles of the Terai and the Himalayan slopes, and this purpose it never ceased to serve.”
"..since they were probably in continuous hard use, and were valued by their owners for their utility, not as ornaments. Such decoration as is applied to them is always in the nature of an inessential addition, which does not interfere with their use."
"The root of the edge of a Kukri blade contains a semicircular nick about three- quarters of an inch deep, generally with a tooth at the bottom, which like the lotus on the blade of the Kora, the Gurkhas say represents the female generative organ, intended presumably to render the blade 'effective'. The sheaths of Kukris are frequently adorned with a scroll pattern in a band stitched in peacock quills, worked in repoussè or filigree, or chiseled, with great skill."
"The aesthetic virtues of many Nepalese weapons are considerable. It is clear that the craftsmen worked to well-established proportional schemes and had a strong sense of the expressive possibilities of contours; for despite their simplicity and plainness most of the weapons are very beautiful."
Traditional Nepalese Weapons:
Kukri knife
Kora sword
Ram Dao
all three blade types are explained in his book.
Copyright © 2020 Heritage Knives, by Kila Tool Works (P) Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this webpage may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the web publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to us at Heritage Knives.
Karma is a bitch!