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First Post
22-05-2025
- General
- First Post
INSV Kaundinya: Indian Navy's ‘stitched ship' inspired by 5th century Ajanta painting
The Indian Navy on Wednesday inducted INSV Kaundinya, a stitched sail ship based on a fifth-century ship showcased in a painting in the Ajanta Caves. Built using traditional stitching techniques, the vessel is named after an ancient Indian mariner whose love story led to the birth of a kingdom read more The Indian Navy has inducted a 'stitched sail ship', named Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya, at a ceremony held at the Naval Base in Karnataka's Karwar. The vessel is modelled on a 5th-century ship showcased in a painting in the Ajanta Caves. The ship is set for a historic transoceanic voyage, traversing the ancient trade route from Gujarat to Oman, according to the Indian Navy. The vessel, with a 15-member crew of the Indian Navy on board, will embark on the journey later this year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's everything to know about the stitched ship. Features of INSV Kaundinya INSV Kaundinya, the stitched ship, boasts square sails and steering oars, which are 'entirely alien to modern-day ships', as per the Indian Navy. These oars control the steering of the ship, which is reportedly equipped with a main mast, mizzen mast and bowsprit mast. INSV Kaundinya is adorned with culturally significant features. 'Her [the ship's] sails display motifs of the Gandabherunda and the Sun, her bow bears a sculpted Simha Yali, and a symbolic Harappan style stone anchor adorns her deck, each element evoking the rich maritime traditions of ancient India,' the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The vessel was built using traditional stitching techniques by a team of skilled artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran. 'Over several months, the team painstakingly stitched wooden planks on the ship's hull using coir rope, coconut fibre and natural resin,' the ministry's statement read. Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, told Indian Express that the ship has 'trailing oars, square sails and a flexible hull. It does not have rudders. In modern sailing, usually, triangular sails are used. There are some advantages, but many disadvantages, because you have to basically sail with the wind. So, it is important to recognise that when we attempt to sail it, we will have to relearn the art of sailing with square sails.' The project, which is aimed at exhibiting India's maritime heritage, is being implemented through a tripartite agreement between the Indian Navy, the Ministry of Culture and Goa-based shipbuilding company Hodi Innovations (OPC) Private Ltd. The Indian Navy monitored the ship's design, technical validation, and construction process. 'With no surviving blueprints of such vessels, the design had to be inferred from iconographic sources. The Navy collaborated with the shipbuilder to recreate the hull form and traditional rigging, and ensured that the design was validated through hydrodynamic model testing at the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, and internal technical assessment,' the defence ministry said in the statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD INSV Kaundinya's keel laying happened in September 2023, and it was launched in February in Goa. The formal induction of INSV Kaundinya into the Indian Navy is historical and significant for India's maritime heritage. 'This is not just the launch of a vessel—it is the launch of heritage. A symbolic act that echoes across centuries, marking the resurgence of India's maritime legacy and reaffirming our deep and enduring ties with the Indian Ocean world,' Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who was the chief guest at the induction ceremony on Wednesday (May 21), wrote on X. A historic moment for Bharat and our civilisational pride. Presided over the induction ceremony of the Ancient Stitched Ship INSV Kaundinya at Karwar Naval Base today—an extraordinary recreation of a 5th-century vessel, inspired by Ajanta murals and handcrafted by Kerala's… — Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) May 21, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How INSV Kaundinya got its name INSV Kaundinya is named after a legendary Indian mariner who sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia. More than 2000 years ago, the Indian merchant Kaundinya reached the Mekong Delta (southern Vietnam ), along with a crew of Indians, during his sailing venture. The Indian merchant vessel on which they were aboard was attacked by pirates, who were defeated by Kaundinya. However, the vessel was damaged and had to be beached for repairs, as per an Indian Express report. A local clan, led by warrior queen Soma, encircled the Indian crew, who were outnumbered. Legend has it that a confrontation ensued between them. However, the conflict did not last long as Soma, belonging to the Naga clan, fell in love with Kaundinya and proposed marriage. The couple later went on to establish the royal dynasty of Funan. Kaundinya and Soma established the Funan dynasty. Wikimedia Commons Speaking to Indian Express, Sanyal said, 'Kaundinya and Soma set up a dynasty that went on to form the first Indianised Kingdom in what is now Cambodia/South Vietnam. This is corroborated by Chinese sources. All the future dynasties of the Khmer and Chams of Vietnam… to this day… trace their lineage to this marriage.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Navy inducts ‘stitched sail ship' as INSV Kaundinya
The Indian Navy on Wednesday formally inducted and named an 'ancient stitched sail ship' as the INSV Kaundinya at a ceremonial event held at the Naval Base in Karwar. INSV Kaundinya has been built based on a 5th century ship depicted in paintings seen in the Ajanta Caves. The project was initiated through a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Union Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations, with funding from the Ministry of Culture, and is meant to showcase India's rich shipbuilding heritage. 'Following the keel laying in September 2023, the vessel's construction was undertaken using a traditional method of stitching by a team of skilled artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran. Over several months, the team painstakingly stitched wooden planks on the ship's hull using coir rope, coconut fibre and natural resin,' the Navy said in a statement. The ship was launched in February 2025 at Goa. The ship will now embark on her next historic phase, involving preparations for a transoceanic voyage along the ancient trade route from Gujarat to Oman, scheduled for later this year, the Navy said. The Indian Navy played a central role in the project, overseeing the design, technical validation, and construction process. With no surviving blueprints or physical remnants, the design had to be extrapolated from a two-dimensional artistic iconography and the project demanded a unique interdisciplinary approach, combining archaeological interpretation, Naval architecture, hydrodynamic testing, and traditional craftsmanship, according to the Navy. The stitched ship is equipped with square sails and steering oars, which are entirely alien to modern day ships. The hull geometry, rigging and sails had to be reimagined and tested from first principles. Indian Navy collaborated with the Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, for model testing to validate the vessel's hydrodynamic behaviour at sea. In-house structural analysis to assess the wooden mast system, designed and constructed without the use of contemporary materials, was also undertaken, the Navy stated. The newly inducted vessel incorporates several culturally significant features, the statement said. Her sails display motifs of the 'Gandabherunda' and the Sun, her bow bears a sculpted 'Simha Yali', and a symbolic Harappan-style stone anchor adorns her deck, each element evoking the rich maritime traditions of ancient India. 'Named after Kaundinya, the legendary Indian mariner who sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia, the ship serves as a tangible symbol of India's long-standing traditions of maritime exploration, trade, and cultural exchange,' the Navy said.
Arab News
21-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
Indian Navy inducts first vessel built in ancient shipbuilding style
NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy inducted on Wednesday its first vessel constructed using traditional shipbuilding techniques dating back to the 5th century. The 21-meter wooden ship is a stitched ship, a type of boat that is carvel-built, with its planks stitched together using cords or ropes. The technique was popular in ancient India in constructing ocean-going vessels. Named Kaundinya, the ship is a recreation of a vessel inspired by a painting from the Ajanta Caves — a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Maharashtra state, where ancient Buddhist rock-cut monuments feature exquisite murals dating from the 2nd century B.C.E. to the 5th century C.E. 'The whole concept was to kind of connect to our ancient methodology of how the construction takes place and also, subsequently, connect to the historical maritime routes which Indian seafarers took during that particular time,' Cdr. Vivek Madhwal, spokesperson of the Indian Navy, told Arab News. Funded by the Ministry of Culture, the project was launched in July 2023 and constructed by artisans from Kerala, who were led by master Indian shipwright Babu Sankaran. The vessel was completed in February this year. The INSV Kaundinya's induction into the Indian Navy took place in the presence of Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at the Naval Base Karwar in Karnataka, on the country's western coast along the Arabian Sea. The ship will sail its first transoceanic voyage from Gujarat to Oman. 'That is one of the routes which was used by the ancient seafarers,' Madhwal said, adding that new routes will be considered in the future, after the first journey. The Indian Navy collaborated with the Department of Ocean Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras to conduct model testing of the vessel's hydrodynamic behavior at sea. The navy has also tested the wooden mast system, which was constructed without the use of contemporary materials. 'Every aspect of the ship had to balance historical authenticity with seaworthiness, leading to design choices that were both innovative and true to the maritime traditions of ancient India,' the Indian Ministry of Defense said in a statement. 'The combination of a stitched hull, square sails, wooden spars, and traditional steering mechanisms makes the vessel unlike any ship currently in naval service anywhere in the world.'
New Indian Express
21-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Indian Navy to induct Ajanta Cave painting inspired world's only 'stitched ship' today
NEW DELHI: A one-of-a-kind project to recreate a 5th-century stitched shipbased on an ancient painting from the Ajanta Caves has been successfully completed. No other such ship exists or is in service anywhere in the world today. The Indian Navy announced on Tuesday that the ship will be officially inducted and named during a ceremonial event at the Naval Base in Karwar on Wednesday. The Minister of Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, will attend the ceremony as Chief Guest and formally induct the ship into the Indian Navy. This stitched ship was inspired by a painting from the 5th-century CE found in the Ajanta Caves. The project began with a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations, Goa. The Ministry of Culture provided funding. The keel of the ship was laid on 12 September 2023. Construction followed traditional shipbuilding techniques using natural materials and was led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran, with skilled artisans from Kerala. Thousands of joints were hand-stitched using traditional rope and sealed with a mix of coconut fibre, resin, and fish oil methods once used in ancient Indian shipbuilding.
New Indian Express
21-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Ajanta Cave inspired stitched ship to be inducted today
NEW DELHI: A one-of-a-kind project to recreate a 5th-century stitched shipbased on an ancient painting from the Ajanta Caves has been successfully completed. No other such ship exists or is in service anywhere in the world today. The Indian Navy announced on Tuesday that the ship will be officially inducted and named during a ceremonial event at the Naval Base in Karwar on Wednesday. The Minister of Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, will attend the ceremony as Chief Guest and formally induct the ship into the Indian Navy. This stitched ship was inspired by a painting from the 5th-century CE found in the Ajanta Caves. The project began with a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations, Goa. The Ministry of Culture provided funding. The keel of the ship was laid on 12 September 2023. Construction followed traditional shipbuilding techniques using natural materials and was led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran, with skilled artisans from Kerala. Thousands of joints were hand-stitched using traditional rope and sealed with a mix of coconut fibre, resin, and fish oil methods once used in ancient Indian shipbuilding.
