Avadhut

The photo shows the original 18th century Maratha cavalry "bhala" that was often 12 feet long. Made from hollow bamboo, they were light enough for one hand and flexible enough not shatter on contact. This is what made them deadly. Tactical use: A small squadron of Maratha horsemen would ride rapidly toward the enemy line, brandishing their ultra-long bhalas. They would deliberately stir up massive clouds of dust to obscure their true numbers.Just as they drew close to the enemy's musket fire range, the Marathas would abruptly turn their horses and flee in apparent panic and disorder. Seeing the enemy run, opposing commanders or overeager cavalry would often break their disciplined formation to give chase. The moment the enemy line fractured, the Marathas would instantly wheel their highly agile horses around and counter-attack. The British eventually developed packed musket formations (such as squares) to beat cavalry. This was then used against Napoleon at Waterloo by Wellington