Coorg Pinchangatti knife

The ‘Pinchangatti’ is the iconic knife worn by the Coorg or ‘Kodova‘ man in the Karnataka region in South West India. It was worn in front, tucked in their sash and considered of large importance among their owners. The traditional Kodava people were called Coorg by the British troops which indicates their origin in terms of habitat, since Coorg is a mistranslation of the word ‘Kannada‘, which is their local term for ‘hilly area’.
During the British annexation of the Coorg region, most local weapons were confiscated to avoid an armed rebellion and were dumped into the ocean. Among them were many traditional weapons such as rifles, swords and daggers such as the ‘Pinchangatti‘. This happening mentioned and the fact that these knifes are considered highly important in local culture, makes it rare to encounter a high-end example on todays market.