| Gada | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Mace_MET_sfsb36.149.3_002.jpg) An example of a 17th century Indo-Persian gada, made from steel and gold, 26.5 inches (67 cm) long. Metropolitan Museum of Art | |
| Type | Club / Mace |
| Place of origin | Indian subcontinent |
| Specifications | |
The gada (Sanskrit: गदा gadā, Kannada: ಗದೆ, Telugu: గద, Tamil: கதை, Malay: gedak, Old Tagalog: batuta) is a mallet or blunt mace from the Indian subcontinent. Made either of wood or metal, it consists essentially of a spherical head mounted on a shaft, with a spike on the top. Outside India, the gada was also adopted in Southeast Asia, where it is still used in silat. The weapon might have Indo-Iranian origins, as Old Persian also uses the word gadā to mean club; see for example the etymology of Pasargadae.
The gada is the main weapon of the Hindu God Hanuman. Known for his strength, Hanuman is traditionally worshipped by wrestlers in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Vishnu also carries a gada named Kaumodaki in one of his four hands.[1] In the epic Mahabharata, the fighters Balarama, Duryodhana, Bhima, Karna, Shalya, Jarasandha and others were said to be masters of the gada.[2]
- ^ "Gada, The Mace of Vishnu. Some refer to me by the name "Kaumodaki"". Archived from the original on 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2021-05-17.
- ^ Lochtefeld, James G. (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M. Rosen. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-8239-3179-8.