Faqirs crutch or a vicious weapon?

What was this used for? - PHOTO REQUIRED
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Swineherd
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:44 am

Faqirs crutch or a vicious weapon?

Post by Swineherd »

Silver wand with handsome rams heads gifted to me does puzzle me-has anybody seen something similar?
It is known that muslim mendicants prevented by law from carrying weapons in the India of the Raj, would resort to utilising
so called faqirs crutch as per picture, to protect the takings. My wand has had a hole drilled in the base and something did rattle inside upon my first encounter with this object. Unfortunately the offeror has sealed inside with glue which made it impossible now to see what's inside. I suspect some form of iron spike which deftly shaken out might give a surprise to the rupee-robber.
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WarrenKundis
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:20 pm

Re: Faqirs crutch or a vicious weapon?

Post by WarrenKundis »

An interesting thought but for a man who spends his days teaching Islam and receiving alms in the form of food, what does he have to steal? Fear the living, only Allah (SWT) and Hell Fire. By the way, the person in your image is not a Muslim.

Warren
Swineherd
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:44 am

Re: Faqirs crutch or a vicious weapon?

Post by Swineherd »

Thank you.The chap in the picture comes from the usual google image trawl. As far as I understand those things faqirs did not teach islam but act as pious example to the masses; by standing on one leg for 10 yrs or resting on a bed of nails for example. There might be rich pickings in those tricks to be had-witness the well fed, contended face of my gentleman. Hence the need to protect those takings. How do I know the crutch/spike holder is made of silver? By the simple premise of boiling it in the solution of baking soda with aluminium foil in contact. Not only any trace of faqirs armpit content did wash away but the blessed smell of rotting eggs emanated from the vessel-the proof of reduction of the oxides to the pure silver.
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