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Khukuri: The National weapon/knife
of Nepal;
khukuri: The formidable
knives of the Legendary Gurkhas.
khukuri: A Versatile Working
Tool.
Before answering the actual
question, let us mention some of the great
and famous knives of the world: Bowie Knife,
Stiletto, Scimitar, Roman Sword, Samurai,
Machete and so on. All have played great
historical roles because of their cutting
edge.
Khukuri is the most famous
of them all. It is partly so because of
the romance and myths behind them utterly
unbelievable. Actually, it is because of
the decisive slashing edge of the Khukuri
which became well-known to those who had
to face it in the well-documented battlefields
since 1814 when the British in India first
experienced its effectiveness when they
faced the Gurkhas in Western Nepal. Thus
was born the legends and romance. The history
is something else.
Khukuri is the national
knife of Nepal, originating in ancient times.
It is all-purpose knife of the hill peoples
of Nepal, especially the Magars and Gurungs
in the west, and the Rais and Limbus in
the east. These peoples are called the Gurkhas
who form the formidable Brigades of Gurkhas
both in the British and Indian Armies, not
talking of the Royal Nepal Army itself.
It is a medium-length curved knife each
Gurkha soldier carries with him in uniform
and in battle. In his grip, it is a formidable
razor-shape weapon and a cutting tool. In
fact, it is an extension of his arm. When
his rifle misfires, or when his bullets
have run out, a Gurkha unsheathes his Khukuri
and makes his final “do-ir-die”
run on the enemy in a fury to finish the
business. This scene created the romance
and the legends. What it really did, and
still does, is a superclean slaughter. The
enemy tumbles down in two clean pieces and
is surprise! Because of the kindest, quietest
death.
The Khukuri is carried
in a wooden (often leather covered) stealth.
There are two tiny knives tucked behind
it.
Karda: A small knife tucked behind the scabbard,
its main purpose is to cut small things
and also work as a skinning knife.
Chakmak: A sharpener tucked behind the scabbard.
It can be used as a flint maker also.
Notch: the notch near the
handle on the blade is a Hindu fertility
symbol. It is also the footprint of a cow
( cow is a secret animal in Hindu religion).
So the notch forbid slaughtering ecret animal
with it. The gurkhas also kept promises
with it tha they will never use thisweapon
on women and children. Nevertheless., the
knife being the lethal weapon, the notch
on it is for the blood to dip and not to
soil the holder's hand, so the user can
maintain his grip for futher demonstration.
THE KUKRI :: The
Gurkha's National Weapon
The Gurkha is worthy of
notice, if only for the remarkable weapon
which they use in preference to any o
|
Junior
NCO, Nepal Army, 1970s |
ther. It is called 'Kukri'
and is of a very peculiar shape. As may
be seen by referene to the drawings both
the blade and hilt are curved. The blade
is very thick at the back, measuring a little
more than a quarter of an inch in thickness.
From the back it is thinned of gradually
to the edge, which has a curve of its own,
quite different to that of the back, so
that the blade is widest as well as thickest
in the middle, and tapers ar one end towards
the hilt, and at the other towards the point.
The steel of which the blade is formed is
of admirable temper, as is shown by the
fact that specimens which had not been cleaned
for thirty years, but have been hung upon
wall samong other weapons, are scarcely
touched with rust, and for the greater part
of their surface are burnished like mirrors.
The handle is made after a very remarkable
fashion, and the portion which forms the
hilt is so small that it shows the size
of the hand for which it was intended. This
smallness of hilt is common to all Indian
swords, which cannot be grashped by an ordinary
English soldier. Indeed the Gurkhas are
so small, that their hands, like those of
all Indian reaces, are very delicate, about
the same size as those of an English boy
of seven. The point of the Kukri is as sharp
as a needle, so that the weapon andwers
equally for cutting or stabbing. In consequence
of the great thickness of the meta, the
blade is exceedingly heavy. It may be imagined
that a blow from such a weapon as this must
be a very terrible one. The very weight
of the blade would drive it half through
a man's arm if it were only allowed to fall
from a little height. But the Gurkhas have
a mode of striking which resembles the 'drawing'
cut of the broadsword, and which urges the
sharp edge through flesh and bone alike.
Before passing to the mode
in which the kukri is used, it should ne
mentioned that it is not employed for domestic
purposes, being too highly valued by the
owner. For such purposes two smaller knives
are used, of very similiar form, but apparently
of inferior metal. These are kept in little
case with the knives attached to a Highlander's
drik.
In the hands of an experienced
wielder this knife is about as formidable
a weapon as can ne conceived. Like all really
good weapons, its efficiency depends much
more upon the skill than the strength of
the wielder, and thus it heppends that the
little Gurkha, a mere boy in point of stature,
will cut to pieces a gigantic advcersary
who does not understand his mode of onset.
The Gurkha generally strikes upwards with
the kukri, possibly in order to avoid wounding
himself should his blow fail, and possibly
because an upward cut is just the one that
can be least guarded against.
When we were engaged in
the many wars in India the Gurkha proved
themselves out most formidable enemies,
as since they have proved themselves most
invaluable allies. Brave as lions, active
as monkeys and fierce as tigers, the little
wiry little men came leaping over the ground
to the attack, moving so quickly, and keeping
so far apart from each other, they musketry
was no use against them. When they came
near the soldiers, they suddenly crouched
to the ground, dived under the beonets,
struck upwards at the men with their kukris,
ripping them off with a single blow, and
then, after having done all the mischief
in their power, darting off as rapidly as
they had come. Until our men learned by
their little opponents, who got under their
weapons, cutting or slashing with knives
as sharp as razors, and often escaping unhurt
from the midst of bayonets. They would also
dash under the bellies of the officers'
horses, rip them open with one blow of the
kukri, and aim another at the leg of the
officer as he and his horse fell together.
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