Ganga Ram

T

Tom Holt

Joined
Dec 30, 1999
Messages
475
Bill,

Did Ganga Ram make any other style of khuk for HI beside the GR Special?

I'm asking because I've got a big, heavy 25" sirupati (used to belong to Daniel Banderas) whose handle has the same style of checkering and the same yin/yang symbol as the original GRS. Were these trademarks of the Old Master, or in general use by other kamis?
 
Good question.

I've wondered about the little Udhaipur villager. It's not much to look at, but the design and execution are great.

How many kamis are there down in Udhaipur anyway?
 
Ganga Ram was a village kami and village kamis make a variety of khukuris and other stuff, too. Often the design is at the request of the user - "I want to use this khukuri for cutting corn" or "I have ten ropanis of heavily wooded land I need to clear" and so on.

I have never been to Udhaipur but every village of any size will have a kami or two. The kami is a necessity if you have tools or anything metal. He makes the hinges and locks for gates and doors. He makes the axes and hatchets and the knives you use in everyday farm life. Anything metal go see the kami.

Although he is a necessity and should have the stature and social status of our old village smiths here in the US the sad truth is he is generally treated like an outcast -- which he is in the framework of the caste system. In some villages the kami cannot live within the "city limits".

Old Kancha Kami who was a valued and good neighor of Pala and his family for 80 years would only enter Pala's home for a funeral or wedding. Any other business or social meeting he might have he stood on the porch and would not come inside even if invited. Common practice among kamis. When Kumar came to visit me at Anamnagar he would not come inside even though I insisted. We had our beer and conversation in the sarki shop. A few other kamis behaved in the same manner.

It ain't right but it's part of their culture.
 
Interesting, UNcle Bill. A similar caste system in ancient Africa held smiths in the same hi-status but low regard. They were also outcasts, but it is said that this upped the magical effect of the steel and iron items that the smiths wrought.

They worked as alchemists, outside the laws of real time and space, almost feared. I think this tradition is still in place in Africa, as it was when they hastened in the Iron age.
A large tribe of folks called the Kush actually smelted iron and forged Iron weapons while the egyptians were still working bronze! They were a powerful tribe, and actually journeyed north to do battle with the Pharo's troops. They won some impressive and decisive victories, and Kush Pharos ruled two late egyptian dynasties...I guess they won the arms race there!

Amazing what one learns in an African History course at the University, more amazing that one can retain it for 15 years.

Keith

The more things change, the more they stay the same.
 
East African history is fun stuff, Ferrous. Someday, I'll make it to Eithiopia to see the rock churches.

S.
 
Good fun, those movies :D

One of my classmates in High School decided she wanted to be an acheologist. Went over to Australia to do her degree but before she left, we got her a fedora. We had something else too but the bullwhip (from Cattle Baron) didn't make it past the Malaysian Customs & Excise department...

Andrew Limsk

Originally posted by Bill Martino
Be careful. Remember what happened to Indiana Jones when he found it.
Click to expand...
 
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