UP authorities have inaugurated a 20-foot long Rampuri chaaku (knife), the weapon of choice for Bollywood movies, on Monday.
The 20-feet and 6.10-metre-long Rampuri knife has been installed at a cost of around Rs 52.52 lakh. High mast lights and beautification works have been done for around Rs 16 lakh
Authorities will send the Rampuri chaaku to the Guinness World Records. It has been made of premium grade brass and steel, due to which it does not catch rust easily.
Rampur City MLA Akash Saxena said that the government has turned the Rampuri chaaku into a piece of art. The knife was earlier known as a form of fear
The Rampur City MLA said the state government was considering exemption for the knife industry and keeping it out of the purview of goods and services tax.
With this, the state authorities aim to re-identify the Rampuri knife and help the artisans engaged in the craft.
Rampuri chaaku has a single-edged blade roughly 9-12 inches long. The name Rampuri comes from the town of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
Royal bladesmiths of Nawabs of Rampur started making knives after firearms became popular in the 18th century. These were also used in Bollywood movies of the 1960s and the 1970s.
The Rampuri knife is still used as a criminal weapon by local Indian mafia although locally manufactured guns and sophisticated automatic pistols have taken their place.