Ganja iras

[rumpel9]

Greetings to all keris enthusiasts. In your opinion, does the ganja that forms a single whole with the keris blade (ganja iras) carry any special meaning or indicate certain features of the keris? Here I mean:

an indication of a particular period style (tanggu)

the area of use, e.g., a combat keris

a regional characteristic (more common in some places, less so in others)

a specific feature of a certain group of Empu, for example, rural ones — not associated with the keraton

some sacred meaning. Let me clarify my thought: the ganja was symbolically considered the ‘female’ element, while the blade was the ‘male’ element;
their union had a ritual-cosmological significance.
When a ganja iras is made, the boundary between these two principles disappears — everything becomes a single whole.

[Interested Party]

At the risk of proving my self a fool...with my very limited knowledge I associate the feature with Sumatra.

[rumpel9]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

At the risk of proving my self a fool...with my very limited knowledge I associate the feature with Sumatra.

Do you mean the kerises of South Sumatra (Palembang, Lampung)?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

At the risk of proving my self a fool...with my very limited knowledge I associate the feature with Sumatra.

Not only IP!

Yes, Palembang keris with gangja iras are somewhat common but they also pop up at other spots.
First example Java/Madura, second one Palembang, third is Bugis. And I think I have seen Balinese keris with gonjo iras as well.
I believe I have heard or read that a *Gonjo Iras* blade symbolizes the phallus of Shiva.

Regards,
Detlef

[Rick]

Here's my Iras blade.
I have a feeling, that due to the size (15") and polish, it may be from Lombok.

[Gustav]

Yes, many Gonjo Iras Keris from Lombok.
Detlef, the blade in your Straits Bugis sheath likely also comes from South Sumatra. Hilt looks like Sulawesi Bugis.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Gustav

Yes, many Gonjo Iras Keris from Lombok.
Detlef, the blade in your Straits Bugis sheath likely also comes from South Sumatra. Hilt looks like Sulawesi Bugis.

Hello Gustav,

Possibly, got the blade with scabbard only a long time ago on Bali from a Bugis man.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=Bugis

Regards,
Detlef

[milandro]

I have owned a few ganja iras krises and they came from several regions.

Palembang and Bali for example.

At the moment I still have one which is one of my precious possessions.

A Balinese kris which I bought without the Hulu ( it had a wrong sheath with a pencil written description of the village where it was found in Indonesia by a Dutch soldier ) and later on I had de sheath made to measure and purchased a Hulu at auction which then turned out to be almost identical to other kris, also Ganja Iras from Bali with a similar Bengo Segodo Pamor which belonged to the collection by E.A.N. (Emile) van Veenendaal.

I have shown and spoken about this kris before.

Im my opinion making a true ganja iras (so that the Ganja is not lost and not replaced) is a sign of great security of the kris maker.

If the maker at the last stages of making this kris makes a mistake it would be very difficult to recuperate the kris.

[Gustav]

Making Gonjo Iras generally involves less time and is comparatively an easier task, except the very rare cases where Sogokan/Kruwingan are carved, in good quality.

[milandro]

if the greneng carving goes wrong then the Keris has to be rescued somehow, in that respect if not taking longer, the kris maker has to pay more attention to the carving of the small details


this is the almost identical kris from the E.A.N. ( Emile) van Venendaal collection

Slightly different but incredibly with the same hilt and the same ganja iras and pamor