The crude Rampuri knife is often the Indian thug’s blade of choice, be it for booth-capturing or loan recovery. But knives are potent cultural icons too.
Bowie, USA
Named after James Bowie, the legendary US frontiersman who helped develop the knife. A serious fighting knife that’s also useful for utility work.
Commando, UK
Commando combat instructors, Capts Fairbarn and Sykes, designed this for blademakers Wilkinson Sword. Allied special forces in WWII loved it.
Kris, SE Asia
Created centuries ago in Hindu Southeast Asia, it was once ritually worshipped. The design gives enormous cutting power, and leaves horrific wounds.
Parang, SE Asia
A utility knife up to a metre long. It was designed for slashing through heavy jungle. And as an offensive weapon.
Puukko, Finland
Has near-mystic status like the Gurkha khukri, in this case in Lapland, where the Sami use this ancient yet efficient knife for anything that needs an edge.
Culture Vulture
Abol Tabol by Sukumar Ray
WHAT Divine nonsense poems, now in a brilliant new translation from Puffin.
WHY For all non-Bengalis, a few candle-eating creatures, flowers that bloom with a boom, depressed two-tailed beasts, Chandidas’ Uncle the mad scientist, and many more magical and hilarious beings.
HOW GOOD Better than Edward Lear, and as good as Alice, without Lewis Carroll’s dark adult subtexts.
Soccer lovers pray the game’s wild child recovers soon. With help from the Hand of God!
A. Born in Lanus in 1960. Plays first top division match with Argentinos Juniors, aged 15, wears No. 16.
B. Claudia Villafane, who first met Maradona in a local disco, filed a paternity suit against him in 1990.
C. Returned to Argentina after being sacked by Sevilla in 1993 to play for Newell’s Old Boys, nicknamed Los Leprosos (The Lepers).
D. In 2000, Maradona tied with Pele for ‘best player’ in Fifa history.
E. First met son Diego Armando Jr, 17 and a Napoli player, in ’03.
Answer B. Cristina Sinagra filed the paternity suit; Claudia Villafane is ex-wife.
What is
Galangal
The ‘kha’ or ‘ka’ in Thai food. A knobby root whose aromatic being was tapped by the Russians to flavour vinegar. The Lithuanians used the pink-shooted, brown-skinned rhizome as spice and medicine. And the ‘blue ginger’ ministered to horses by Arabs to increase vigour. Perfect ingredient to round out any full-bodied curry.
