Indian Chakram (Chakram)

Timeline

1. -500–1200North Indian plains · North IndiaFrom the Maurya dynasty to the Rajput states, circular blades were forged of steel or bronze, ranging from several inches to a foot in diameter, with a central grip hole or cord for throwing. Epic and martial arts texts record their use in cavalry raids and close-quarters infantry combat, their outer edges honed razor-sharp to cut enemy necks and limbs.
2. 1251Delhi and the Rajput states · IndiaIn the 1250s the Delhi Sultanate under sultans such as Balban strengthened its cavalry and fortress systems, while warriors of the Hindu states of northern India still carried the chakram as a personal throwing weapon, used alongside curved swords and shields. Armies of southern Indian dynasties such as the Pandyas and Hoysalas also preserved the circular throwing blade tradition, employing it in fortress defense and field raids.
3. 1200–1300Rajasthan and Gujarat · RajasthanRajput warriors incorporated the chakram into horsemanship and infantry training, able to hurl several in succession at different targets or cut at close range with wrist strength. Religious and martial texts imbued it with symbolic meaning, and it later became one of the iconic weapons of Sikh warriors (Akalis), with the skill passed down through oral instruction and practice between master and disciple.