What are the different forms of art used in swords?

India is known as the land that portrayed cultural and traditional legacy through its conventional art forms. Art is the mirror which reflects the ancient culture and heritage of our society. Our  vast history influences a vast portion of the various art forms of our country.

Swords are the physical manifestation of pride, freedom, justice, and culture. In earlier times, a sword was not just a weapon to use on the battlefield but had also been the object of special considerations in our ancient Indian culture.

Till date, the artwork on these swords beautifully narrates the stories of vast history of different parts of our country.

Importance of various art forms used in swords

Diverse forms of art are shaped by values, cultural practices, and belief systems. These art forms reflect our rich Indian culture and heritage. Although, in modern times, some art forms have started disappearing. 

But swordsmiths try their best to keep these art forms alive through swords. Even  in the modern era, swords continue to attract and enchant people. 

These artforms play a vital role in unfolding the golden historic era and connecting the past with the present. Moreover, swordsmiths try to engrave these art forms in swords as: 

• Art forms depicting our Indian culture are vital to illustrating our culture.
• Swordsmiths focus on keeping these artforms alive while they craft them on swords. In addition, most of the work on the swords focuses on the mythology of various religions in order to give people a better understanding of their culture. 
• When making these swords, the swordsmiths try to represent the special characteristics and stories that are unique to our culture.  
•  Various forms of arts on swords allow freedom to swordsmiths to express their emotions and talent by creating beautiful sword designs.

Most Popular Forms of Art Used in Swords

In today’s era, the sword market is flooded with swords of various designs. These designs are handcrafted by swordsmiths using different forms of art. Let’s discuss some of the most popular forms of art used in swords.

Koftgari Artwork

The term Koftgari refers to making a pattern into the iron and decorating the surface with an elaborate damascening of 24kt pure gold and silver wire. This craft originated in Sialkot Punjab ( present Pakistan) as a means to decorate arms and weaponry. However, it soon reached the Kings and other high born, where it prospered as a foreign art.  Modern artisans try to incorporate the craft into swords and daggers. As a result, this art is gaining an undermined vintage appreciation and the craftsmen are using these designs in the making of swords. 

The making of Koftgari Art

In the making of Koftgari, iron, gold and silver play an important role. A pattern is drawn on the blade, and the silver wire is hammered into the undercut grooves. This is more of an overlay art, and you can feel gold or silver on the object. 

Gold and Silver Swords with Koftgari Art

Nothing beats the grandeur of a sword, richly embellished with gold and silver. In Koftgari art, 24 kt pure gold or silver wire is damascened with different geometrical patterns to give a rich look to your sword. The grooms carry these gold or silver embellished swords on their wedding day. These swords beautifully complement their wedding outfits. 

Tenshahi Artwork

In this art form, medieval Indian traditions are captured in all of their glory. Tenshahi is among the most admiring forms of art used in swords. This form of art unfolds the vast history of India. In this artform metal is carved out with the chisels and a thick wire of silver or gold is chiseled on it creating different floral patterns and hunting scenes.

Indian Sirohi Sword embellished with beautiful Tenshahi Artwork. 

The Sirohi swords are a perfect description of Tenshahi artwork. The hilts of these swords are decorated with pure, thick silver wire inlaid in the steel in a floral pattern. With embellished tenshahi work, these beautiful swords can serve as both a decorative piece and a weapon. 

Khudai/ Engraving Artwork 

The khudai art form is known as a beautiful engraved artwork. This form of art is carried out with controlled strokes of tape or a hammer. The skilled craftsmen follow the principles of deep engraving called Khudai. The work requires due diligence and care on the part of craftsmen. The design sparks in brilliant tracery and gives a classic and royal touch to the swords. 

Tega swords depicting the appealing silver Khudai Work 

The tega sword with khudai work is made of carbon steel. The blade of the tega sword is wider than that of the other sword’s blades. The beautiful khudai work on these swords gives it a more stunning and appealing look. 

Bidri Artwork 

The sheer variety of exquisite arts in our country has so much to offer in terms of craftsmanship. The stunning and intricate bidri art combines the magic of silver, zinc, and copper to give beautiful artwork swords. 

Bidriware is the pride of Bidar near Hyderabad and is an indigenous handcrafted tradition. But this art form also spreads to other parts of the country, which makes it more widespread. 

The silver engraving with the wire gives a more stylish and classic look to the swords. Skilled Bidri artists perform their tasks with high professionalism and due care.

Beautiful Metal Handcrafted Bidri Swords

Metal handcrafted Bidri swords represent the traditional craft of inlay. Bidri’s rich artwork can be seen in the swords, which feature metal and silver engravings. You can buy these handmade swords to carry on different occasions.

Gach Artwork [ pasting gold on stones]

Gach type of work can be seen in plenty in jewelry or swords. The gach word embodies the pasting of gold on stones in a beautiful way. The gold work is elegantly engraved on stones by craftsmen. Gach work is a technical engraving work that requires skills on the part of craftsmen. 

Meena Artwork 

Meena art or Mandana art on swords draws its roots from the areas of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. In the process of engraving Minakari work on swords, the intricate designs are involved. Additionally, the art of enameling glass on swords has been documented throughout history. In this craft, the designs applied to the swords are more intricate and beautiful.

Metal swords with Meena Artwork 

Minakari works  are a symbolic representation of liberty and strength which is deep-rooted in Indian culture. The stylish metal swords with carbon steel blades are engraved with beautiful Meena work. These swords are good to use as a decorative item or to carry due to their antique looks. 

Thewa Artwork

Thewa is a unique art of jewelry making that involves fusing worked-out sheet gold on glassl. It takes the skilled artisans a whole month to handcraft Thewa piece. The unique designs exuberate the beauty of our rich Indian heritage.

Thewa Work Swords with gold on glass or mirror

Thewa work swords are beautifully designed with gold and mirror work. The thewa work is crafted on the swords in a way to make them more appealing. It makes swords look more unique and beautiful. 

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