This traditional iron sword is an extraordinary weapon made and used by the Garo tribe of Meghalaya, known for their strong warrior spirit and workmanship. The sword's rather long iron blade tapers into a sharply pointed tip meant for accuracy and piercing. Characteristically, this blade has a shallow profile of pause parallel raised medial ridge on the opposite surface, imparting not only strength to the sword but improving also the cutting action on oscillation. The handle of the sword is again different; it is composed of curved iron, lending the required grip to handle the sword and balancing the whole weight of the blade. The handle has a noteworthy upward bulge near the blade, meant as a stop-guard for preventing slips during combat. A reinforcing iron stick was also inserted laterally through the handle, possibly either for grip purposes, or as a symbolic or practical means for hanging or attaching the sword.
Among the Garo people, swords such as this one were involved not only in warfare but also in rituals, dancing, and ceremonial displays. Warriors carried these swords as symbols of their strength, their status, and their protection. Today those items are protected as precious elements of the tribe's material culture and identity. The craftsmanship itself represents the Garo's know-how when it comes to metallurgy and their close interaction with the environment and their heritage, as objects lying at the crossroads of practical utility and cultural pride.