An urumi (Malayalam: uṟumi; Sinhalese: ethunu kaduwa; Hindi: āra) is a sword with a flexible, whip-like blade, originating in modern-day Kerala in the Indian subcontinent. It is thought to have existed from as early as the Sangam period. [~600BC-300AD]
The urumi is handled like a flail but requires less strength since the blade combined with centrifugal force is sufficient to inflict injury. As with other “soft” weapons, urumi wielders learn to follow and control the momentum of the blade with each swing, thus techniques include spins and agile manoeuvres.
These long-reaching spins make the weapon particularly well suited to fighting against multiple opponents. When not in use, the urumi is worn coiled around the waist like a belt, with the handle at the wearer’s side like a conventional sword.
Updated the image. Had seen the original one labeled as such elsewhere. I’m far from sword expert but I recognize there’s a big number of sword fans here so I try to share when I come across odd ones.
For anyone curious this was the original:
Ok seeing this now, wouldn’t the flailing action not land the the cutty bit on the soft bits the right way?
As with pretty much all weapons it depends if you know how to use it, and the armor available to your foes.