The Pesh Kabz
The Pesh Kabz dagger carries a rich history and is a weapon with a distinctive shape that originated in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in regions that are now part of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It is closely linked to the martial cultures of the Mughal Empire and the Persian influence in the region. It emerged around the 17th century when the Indian subcontinent was undergoing significant military activity and was designed to be a piercing weapon capable of penetrating the armor of the time including chain mail and light armour. The Pesh Kabz has a robust thick blade that tapers to a very sharp point, and the blade’s spine is usually thick, providing the strength and rigidity needed to pierce armor. The blade often features in both single-edged and double-edged variants. The handle is designed to provide a secure grip that is essential for thrusting action and is typically crafted from bone, ivory, horn, or wood and is usually intricately carved or decorated with precious metals including gold filigree work. The handle is also full tang which means that the blade extends through the handle, enhancing the weapon’s durability and strength. The Pesh Kabz was favoured by soldiers and warriors as a sidearm for its effectiveness in close combat and its ability to pierce armour. It was also a symbol of status for the wealthy and nobility holding a place of significance in the cultural heritage of the regions where it was used; appearing in various historical texts, artworks, and folklore, symbolizing bravery and martial prowess.
The Jambiya
An interesting blade, the Jambiya has caught my fancy since a few years now. Browsing for information, I came across this interesting article by Schuyler VR Cammann, which I recomposed into a few lines and thought of sharing it here along with a few blades (old, new, touristy, et al) in my collection…
The Jambiya dagger has cultural origins in Yemen going back nearly 3000 years. With a T-shaped handle made from horns or animal bones and decorated with gold and other precious metals, it is famous throughout the Arab world and areas wherever Arab influence could penetrate historically – from Turkey to the Balkans and from Spain to India. Generally having a ‘J’ shaped curved double-edged blade, it also travelled to other cultures in Persia and the Ottoman Empire albeit with some alterations to the blade, hilt and scabbard. The Jambiya is tucked inside a sheath called Aseeb, which is made of wood and covered with brown or white leather, or decorated metal.
Although it is a knife, it has evolved more as a symbol of wealth and social class or as a token of manhood, rather than a functional tool. While some say it is representative of strength and independence and used during traditional festivals, many others describe it as an object of peace, despite it being a dagger!
The Kirpan
Closely associated with the Sikh religion, the historical connection of the Kirpan dagger began with the religious commandment of Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, when it was included as one of the five items of Sikh identity – the five Ks, along with Kangha, Kachha, Kara and Kesh. This Punjabi word, Kirpan, has two roots: ‘kirpa’, meaning mercy, grace, or compassion; and ‘aanaa’ meaning honour, or dignity. It is a designated wearable side-arm to be used for self-protection and also to defend others in danger.
From a village blacksmith forging a simple iron-forged Kirpan nearly 400 years ago, in the modern era, it has caught the fancy of the largest manufacturer of pocket knives in the world – Victorinox of Switzerland, who designed a fine blade in tribute to the Sikhs, inscribing it with ‘Degh, Tegh, Fateh’ – Persian words meaning cooking-pot and sword, and collectively signifying victory for service and protection.
The Indian Constitution deems the carrying of a kirpan to be included in the profession of the Sikh religion, thus legalising the carrying of a kirpan by Sikhs. It has both a physical function, as well as a symbolic function – physically it is an instrument of “ahimsa” or non-violence. The principle of ahimsa is to actively prevent violence; the kirpan is a tool to be used to prevent violence from being done to a defenceless person when all other means to do so have failed. Symbolically, the kirpan represents the power of truth to cut through untruth. It is the cutting edge of the enlightened mind.
