[Jim McDougall]

This is an interesting theory. Are you aware of the Pathan populations from the Punjab southward through Deccan into S,India? also the Durrani influences that moved southward from Afghan regions.

The so called Afghan 'shashka' in my thinking was more a result of Caucasian influences through Russian aspirations toward Afghanistan, with Great Britain's interest in Afghanistan as a buffer guarding its Indian domain. Read "The Great Game", Peter Hopkirk. The Caucusus had been overtaken by Russian incursion into the Caucusus during the Murid Wars of mid 19th c. where the influences of the Caucasian shashka became prevalent with Russian Cossacks and primary weapon for them. The evolution of the CAUCASIAN shashka is the key question here and that will take a more complex discussion.

Please note the North Indian turnback knucklebow neck (swans neck) which is characteristic of tulwar styles in the Northeast, Rajasthan, and by no means a typical southern element as far as I know. While certain Deccani influences are known to have moved northward, such as the flared quillon terminals on the sword termed Afghan 'paluoar' which is actually a tulwar of that form favored in Aghjan regions. As seen in Egerton (1885) these were grouped with tulwars.

The shashka was not a prevalent sword form in Afghanistan as much as were shamshirs, tulwars and 'paluoars' , just as these unusual knuckleguard sabers were not prevalent in S. India. certainly they are not indicative of any larger developmental trend.
Note on the swords you posted the tunkou, at the forte, notable Ottoman influence which was of course well present in certain degree in India.

My opinion is that these S.Indian saber anomalies with a bulbous hilt resembling shashkas are likely reflective of the Pathan influences from Afghan regions and populations to the north, and not of a developed form overall.
I wanted to at least open the discussion and look forward to opinions of others.

Thank you for posting these MOST interesting sabers.