Pata (sword)

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Pata

An ornamental pata with a 41" (104 cm) blade

Type Sword

Place of origin India

Service history

Used by Marathas, Rajputs, Mughal tribe

Specifications

Length 10–44 inches (25–112 cm)

Blade type Double-edged,

straight

Hilt type Gauntlet type

The pata or patta (Marathi:दददांडपटद, Hindi: पट) is an Indian sword with a gauntlet integrated as a
handguard. Often referred to in its native Marathi as a dandpatta, it is commonly called
[1]

a gauntlet-sword in English.
One of the best pata collections can be seen at the Durbar Hall, Shiva Nivas Palace,
at Udaipur, Rajasthan. The erstwhile rulers —the royal family of Mewar— owns the collection. It is
displayed along with many other bladed weapons. [citation needed]

Contents
[hide]

 1Description
 2History
 3Use
 4See also
 5References
 6External links

Description[edit]

A well embossed gauntlet

The pata has a long straight blade ranging in length from 10 to 44 inches. The blades were
sometimes locally made and other times recycled from older European swords imported through
colonial trade. In the case of European blades, broadswords were most common, though rapier
blades were occasionally employed. The characteristic feature of the pata is its hilt which takes
the form of a half-gauntlet, the inside of which is usually padded. The hilt is attached to the blade
by decorative arms that extend forward on both sides of the blade. The Mughals developed a
variation with matchlock pistols adjoining the handle. The hilt also has a long cuff which is
[citation needed]

usually decorated and in older examples inlaid and embellished with gold and silver. The
swordsman holds the weapon by gripping a crossbar inside the gauntlet. The cuff is held close to
the forearm by another bar or chain.

History[edit]
Created during the Mughal period, the pata's use in warfare appears to be mostly restricted to
[2]

the 17th and 18th century when the Marathas came into prominence. It was considered to be a
[3] [4]

highly effective weapon for infantrymen against heavily armoured cavalry. The Maratha [citation needed]

emperor Shivaji and his general Baji Prabhu Deshpande were reputedly trained in the use of the
pata. When Afzal Khan's bodyguard Sayyed Banda attacked Shivaji with swords in the Battle of
Pratapgad, Shivaji's bodyguard Jiva Mahala fatally struck him down, cutting off one of Sayyed
Banda's hands with a pata. Akbar also used a pata during the siege of Gujarat.
[citation needed]

Use[edit]
The pata is most commonly paired with either a shield or another pata, though it can also be used
with a javelin, axe, or belt. The restrictive handle (which British colonists point out was
uncomfortably small for most European hands) was particularly suited to the stiff-wristed style of
South Asian swordsmanship. Despite its shape, the pata is used primarily for cutting rather than
thrusting. The extended grip provided by the forearm permitted powerful slashes but restricted
[4]

any thrusts. This can be seen in mardani khel today and in colonial descriptions which describe
[4]

spinning techniques with dual pata "much like a windmill". Miniatures show that the pata was
[4]

also wielded by mounted cavalry, which has led some modern collectors to erroneously conclude
[1]

that the weapon was used for thrusting from horseback. However, the restriction on wrist
movement would have made it difficult to dislodge the pata from an opponent's body, and doing
so while mounted would most likely cause the swordsmen to fall off their horses. Rather, it is
more probable that the pata was used in cut-and-run tactics, characteristic of the Maratha army.
Cutting technique was practiced by slicing fruit on the ground like lemons or limes without
touching the ground. This was and still is a common method of demonstration, often using a
flexible blade to facilitate the trick. It is said that Maratha warriors would use the pata when
encircled before they fell, so as to maximize the casualties on the opposition. It was to be
effective when two soldiers fought together as pairs. [5]
See also[edit]
 Katara

References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b "Maratha Pata Gauntlet Sword". www.arms2armor.com. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
2. Jump up^ "Swords History - 17th Century AD". www.knightsedge.com. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
3. Jump up^ "History of Indian swords". www.swordhistory.info. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
4. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Swords And Hilt Weapons. Great Britain: Prion. 2012. ISBN 9781853758829.
5. Jump up^ "The Pata and the Manople -- Gauntlet Swords". netsword.com. Retrieved 16 November 2012.

External links[edit]
 Media related to Pata swords at Wikimedia Commons