Wanted: Cheetlang History Lesson(s)

L

Lt. Dan

Joined
Aug 6, 2000
Messages
539
1) What is the origin of the of the Cheetlang?

2) What is the history of how Gurkha House got into them?
 
Thanks, Lt. Dan, for posing this question. I say yes, let's get the information surrounding the origin of the cheetlang. I think the forum would want it. Let's hope it's more interesting than this version:

Just two years ago Craig was visiting Lalit's Kathmandu shop in Nepal to strengthen business ties between them. It was during this visit that Lalit treated Craig to a trip deep into the mountainous countryside to view first-hand the hill people going about their day-to-day business. Craig, of course, had his eye open for khukuris all the time and was gladdened, as their trip progressed, to see a motley assortment of them being used for all kinds of work around the house. He noted them being used, from slaughtering the family goat to chopping up potatoes, and the khukuris used ranged from new to old and from presentable to decrepit. They were all approximately the same size and shape, indicating that they all came from a certain kami in the vicinity. Only when he and Lalit ventured further into the mountains did he actually see other shapes and sizes crop up. The work of other kamis were now becoming apparant.

There were no markets or eating-houses in the hills in the Chilanka area. But Lalit was a well- known figure in these parts also, and the pair were eventually treated to a meager dish of barbequed goat ribs and strong tea with water buffalo milk afterwards, at the modest dwelling of Ganiu, a villager acquaintance of Lalit's. As they were into their second bowl of rice, Craig noticed that Ganiu was secretly whispering to Lalit and indicating continuously with a finger in the direction of the adjoining room. Craig does not understand Nepali, but the word "cheetlang" which he overheard, made an impression as it was repeated a number of times. Craig was intrigued, but he knew he had to wait his turn.

Lalit and the villager left the room, leaving Craig and the lady of the house exchanging polite gestures, and when they returned ten minutes later, Ganiu carefully unwrapped a rice-paper parcel in front of Craig. When the contents were revealed, Craig could not believe his eyes. On the soiled paper there lay a khukuri the likes of which he had never seen. It was old, very old, but kept in immaculate condition.The blade was long and slender like that of a sirupati, but the butt-end of the rosewood handle flared up and out to meet a stunning engraved brass buttcap having the shape of a half-dome. Craig picked it up gingerly, feeling the heft as he turned it around.The lines of the knife were so exquisite, the balance so remarkable, that for long moments Craig could only stare.

"What...who...where...?" he stammered, until eventually the story began to unfold. Seems there was an old kami by name of Thaman Gurung staying at the home of a distant relative. The kami lost all his possessions, including his forge and tools, in a fire which also maimed him for life. He managed to save a few humble possessions. He also saved the khukuri, which had been in his possession for eighty years, handed down through generations before him. The kami is dead now, but he told his story before he died. He had one daughter, no-one knows what became of her...

"The khukuri.... What about the khukuri?" Lalit looked admonishingly at Craig, indicating with a wagging finger that it does not pay to rush a villager who has a story to tell. The woman fidgetted in the kitchen lean-to, preparing bowls of strong tea liberally laced with an obnoxious but potent potato spirit clandestinely prepared high in the mountains for exactly this kind of circumstance. Then she lay down and left the men alone. They would talk into the night....

When men speak of bygone times, the sun sets without them being aware of it, and far away on the slopes an eagle utters a wistful cry. The mists of time shroud strange tales in the shadow of the Himalayas.......

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"Gold is for a woman - steel is for a man."
 
My God! What a great story. And you are hereby awarded a $20.00 gift certificate to GH for your creative efforts!

The real story is much less romantic and exciting. One day last year, Lalit told me that I'd be excited about something coming in the next box. When I removed the wax paper (not rice paper!), the cheetlang fell out and I was hooked.

It does have some characteristics of other khukuris - the blade of a sirupati, the fuller of an Ang Khola, the buttcap of a Chianpure - it's sort of a hybrid.

To get the REAL story I'll have to ask Lalit.

------------------
Craig Gottlieb
Gurkha House
Blade Forums Sponsor
 
Johan, Have you ever read any of the old pulp science fiction? Like in Analog or Amazing Tales or similar magazines printed in the first half of the 20th century? Your story reminds me of some of the stories I used to read in my Dad's old magazines, detail and vagary with the excitement of the unknown. Short and to the point let the reader imagine some. Thanks.
cool.gif


[This message has been edited by cdenney (edited 04-05-2001).]
 
Craig: Is the Cheetlang a hybrid, or is it actually another style unto itself?? YES, by all means, ASK LALIT!!!

Johan: What a tale! Your sure can spin a yarn.

cdenney: I know what you mean.
 
As the owner of the first Gurkha House Cheetlang brought to these shores, I can add just a little.
I do not recall the exact time frame, I am thinking this occured a little over a year ago:

I had placed a special order with Craig for an 18" Chainpuri style khukuri, which, after some delays (Nepal Ho) finally arrived. I called Craig to make arrangements for payment and shipping. He informed me that he actually had two "Chainpuris", one rather plain-jane model and one which he said was a "fancy one." He described the hatchmark work on the bolster and handle, the fancy sword of Shiva, and the scalloped keeper on the butt-cap. He said the price was...as I recall, about $40 more for the "fancy" model.
Throwing my usual parsimony to the wind, I said I would take it instead of the plain one.
When the blade arrived I immediately sensed it was something special, and said so on this forum. Some time (maybe a week or so) passed before Craig made inquiries of Lalit, and found out this was called a "Cheetlang."
We still don't know what that word means in Nepali...maybe there is no exact translation.
I call mine "Kali" because of it's ...well..snakey, deadly, feel.

Not long after I got mine, Craig decided (and very wisely so) to make this a standard GH model.
There are now many who share my feeling that this is a special blade. Get one for yourself and see.

--Mike L.




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What goes around...comes around.
 
cdenny: No, I haven't. I seem to recall the magazine called SAGA though. Actually I was raised on a mixed diet of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Meiring Fouche.

Lt. Dan: I'm happy if you enjoyed it.

Craig: I'm relieved. I worried that you might be offended by the use of your name in the story without my clearing it out with you before I splashed it. Thanks for the gift! I'm really honoured. However, my KPF (khukuri purchasing fund) is now depleted for a time, so I hope the gift offer will stand for at least (say) 6 months. Thanks again. I will repay the kindness by accumulating everything said about the cheetlang here and doing a summary about it for the Forum.
 
Everybody's posts are appreciated and I'm hoping that even more info will surface.

Mike L.: I seem to remember the Cheetlang coming up on the forum about the time I went to summer camp, and that by the time I got around to becoming a forumite the first batch had gone. This was in June of 2000. I still lament missing out on them...ya snooze, ya lose. Berkley posted a fine pic, and the kamis had made the c&k plain, without the little ferrules (kajo) and buttcaps (chhapri). The quality was reputed to have been extremely high. Lesson learned, this has motivated me to always keep a minimum balance in the khukuri purchasing fund (KPF, as per Johan) for such a special event, even if this means putting the next logical purchase on hold, pending KPF infusion. (The first Afghan issue didn't get away, by golly!)

Johan: I'm not usually fond of historical revisionists, but you made it plain that you were taking liberties, and I thought your piece was super. You've got a quality gift of gab, and I hope to see lots more of this kind of thing from you in the future. As long as fact and fiction are plain to see, I hope you'll feel free to go hog wild on ANY thread I start, okay buddy?

Back to business, what other info can be added to here about the Cheetlang?
 
Somebody once said that if you want people to give information, give them a framework within which to work. Okay, so we want forumites to help compile the story of the Cheetlang. So why not divulge in summary form what we've got already, then forumites can add missing facts or point out mistakes. So, if it will help, this is what we've got so far:

In choosing the most popular type of newly-produced original khukuri, collectors have varied preferences, and the Cheetlang seems to be very definitely on the list of the top ten. Logically, one would like to know how the Cheetlang came about.

One day last year (2000), Lalitkumar Lama, the proprietor of Khukuri House, informed distributor Craig Gottlieb that he'd be excited about something coming in the next shipment. When it arrived and Craig removed the wax paper, this khukuri - the likes of which he had not seen before - fell out and he was immediately hooked.

The first thing that struck Craig, was that it is a sort of hybrid. It had some characteristics of other khukuris - the blade of a sirupati, the fullered groove of an Ang Khola, and the buttcap of a Chianpure. It caught the attention - it had this snakey, deadly feel about it.

What happened to this first of all hybrid to appear on the market? One collector recalls an interesting story. He had placed a special order with Craig for an 18-inch Chianpure khukuri. When it finally arrived, he was informed by Craig that he actually had two Chianpures, one plain and a special one with hatchmark work on the bolster and handle, a fancy sword of Shiva, and a scalloped keeper on the butt-cap. The client chose to buy the more expensive fancy Chianpure. The favourable comments of this client spurred Craig to make further inquiries to Lalit, and found out this specific khukuri was called a "Cheetlang". It is not yet known what the word means in Nepali.

The first run of them occurred in June 2000. Now a standard Gurkha House model, only ten were made, and the chakmak and karda were standard. Soon the Cheetlang earned a truly excellent reputation for quality and handling. Since then, ferrules and buttcaps were added to the chakmak and karda. This enhanced the appeal of the Cheetlang, as now it was the only khukuri with special-quality accessory tools.

The Cheetlang is available in a rosewood-handled as well as a horn-handled version. Although some collectors like the rosewood best, the original horn-handled version is claimed by some to be even better looking.

As can be expected, the hybrid does not look or perform exactly like each of the khukuris which went into its design. For example, although the Cheetlang does look a lot like a Chainpure, the two of them handle very differently. It handles like a fighter, but has the strength of a heavier tool - much like a "cross between a ballerina and a linebacker".

The Cheetlang has enjoyed the most attention by far, and has been called, simply, a great one, the most perfectly proportioned, best balanced and most aesthetically pleasing khukuri now being made.
 
OK, so my summary of information gleaned so far about the cheetlang did not attract any further responses. This does point, however, to Lalit being the only remaining person to supply the missing facts, if any. Craig, my friend, I believe it is up to you to contact Lalit as Lt. Dan so rightly suggests. I think the question to Lalit is: Where did he GET the very first cheetlang to be sent to GH in June 2000? WHO commissioned the making of the cheetlang? It must have been someone's brainchild! Which kami did the work? Was it one of TB's people?

I need to use Lalit's contribution to finalise the cheetlang "history".
 
CRAIG: It's time for the official word from Lalit! Would you e-mail him and ask about the origin of the Cheetlang, and anything else you can find out?

(And while you're at it, I'd appreciate your asking what year the Gurkhas made the switch from the WW2 to the SN1!)
 
Johan,

The first Cheetlang did not come in June of 2000. It was a few months before that, and at that time was unique as Lalit sent Craig only one. The first run of Cheetlangs was in June 2000, and that was also the first time that Craig posted pictures of that model.
 
Thanks for your point, Kamagong. You're quite right of course. I can't wait to finalise the full story of the cheetlang!
 
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