Code IP29
This is a very large and heavy kharga sword from northern India bordering Nepal where smaller and lighter versions are known as kora. In India it is also known as a Jamadhar Teg. Like the kora, the kharga has significance both as a battle weapon and a ritual object. A traditional weapon of the Ghurkas of Nepal, it was abandoned by them as a weapon in favor of the kukri and firearms. The kharga retains its ritual significance in the region where it plays a role in the festival of Indra. Locally, the kharga serves as a mark of leadership and superordinate authority. The handing over of the kharga represents a transition of power to a new regional governor. Decoration of the kharga is traditionally simple, the esthetic residing in the elegant curve of the blade and the massive flared and spiked tip.
This kharga weighs approximately 10 pounds and has an overall length of 32 inches. The blade is fully 5 inches wide and just under 1/2 inch thick tapering distally. The blade is sharpened on the concave side.
