One of the most unusual weapons to ever arise in the history of human martial arts is the urumi. Few would guess that it might be employed in battle based just on its outward look.
The Urumi
Long, flexible, pointy pieces of steel or brass are used to make urami (about 120 – 160cm). People are easily smitten by this “hybrid” weapon that combines a whip and a sword at first glance. Urumi makes people fearful of the possibility of self-injury with incredibly unpredictable blades, in addition to the horrifying wounds that can be inflicted on the adversary.
Man demonstrating the sword urimi
There are still many records about the development of this weapon that are debatable. Even the name “Urumi” has numerous possible translations. The word “Urumi,” which is a member of the South Indian language family, is translated as “spinning sword” in certain locales but is translated as “curved blade” in others. The majority of urami swords have several blades attached to a single hilt. Even swords made of 30 Urumi blades have been discovered in Sri Lanka. The Urumi sword is typically slung about the warrior’s waist while not in use.
The Urumi has the fatal flaw of being difficult to manage in close quarters combat and having a very sluggish repeat rate, despite being lighter and having a longer range than other common weapons in India like the Talwar sword. Thus, the Urumi sword is frequently employed.
