The Army of the Indian Moghuls: Its Organization and Administration c10.s4.5

c10.s4.5

*Barchhah*. This is a Hindī word, also spelt *Barchhā* and *Barchhī*. W. Egerton, note to N°. 461, p. 115, quoting Tod’s “Rajasthan,” says “the Mahratta lance is called ‘Birchha.’” This statement taken literally may be true; it is false, if taken as suggesting that the *Barchhah* is an exclusively Mahratta arm. We find the *Barchhah* in the *Āīn* list of Moghul arms, drawn up long before the Mahrattas had been heard of as a military power. It is a well known word and weapon all over Northern India, hundreds of miles from the Mahratta country. We have it figured as N°. 17 of plate xii of the *Āīn* (vol. I). Its distinctive feature is its being made wholly of iron or steel, shaft as well as head. See also Egerton’s description, p. 123, note preceding N°. 574, of two specimens in the Codrington collection. This heavy spear could hardly have been wielded by a man on horse-back, and was no doubt confined to the infantry.