I don;t know the actual Indian term for it, But in Western MAs we call it the "cheater knob." The use of this nifty gizmo is three fold:
1 - Allows the other hand space to grip it, much like the extended hilts on european hand-and-a-half swords. The two handed blow or strong block can then be executed with more strength than the one handed blow/block.
2 - Allows the defender to block lower blows, such as those to the leg. Usually in swordfights, the leg is a prime diabling target, and one must crouch low to guard the leg. However, the protrusion allows the defender (while holding the sword relatively vertically) to simply drop the sword's position a bit to pick up an incoming leg shot on the protrusion. The spike-like pommel protrusions on swords of this type almost always are bent at a curve away from the body to accomodate this block (a straight bar would be more likely to snag on ones pants or harness, or you wouuld have to hould the blade tileted back more to accomodate for this)
3 - Allows the attacker to lock up weapons or snare limbs, armor, or shields when in very close quarters (The big quillons you see on european swords were intended to be used this way as well).
If you come upon an opponent with a shield, you can get in close, slip the protrusion over the top edge of the shield (executed by punching forward with the sword, and letting the tip fall back along the arm parallel to the arm, thus thrusting the pommel forward). Then, near the end of the forward momentum, you snap the wrist forward to bring the sword tip up in an arc aimong at the head or shoulder (as this is executing, the pommel protrusion is snapping down over the shield rim, and the weight and momentum of the sword blade coming forward forces the shield down and out of the defnse abruptly, opening the ehad for the blow already on its way.
You could use the same maneuver to snare, a weapon, wrist, arm, or leg. handy fer getinng the leverage game in a locked up encounter, when the weapons and limbs are more viable targets for snares.
Another thing it might be useful as is a buttspike, where you'd use the same punchinng or hammer strike to say crack a nut with the butt of a knife. Instead of impact, this thing would pierce.
Usually, that gizmo is just a continuation of the sword tang, sometimes wrapped with wire, leather, cord, or other adornments that might give some grip.
Keith
Thanks JP.
