RIVERS AND THE VESSELS OF THE PEOPLE

India has a history of traversing the sea for over five millennia. The earliest records can be found in the Harappan (Indus Valley) civilization. Terracotta models and engravings from Lothal and Mohen-jo-Daro depict ships with high prows, pointed sterns, central cabins, and sails, suggesting vessels capable of coastal and open-sea navigation.

- MOHUL BHATTACHARYA

These early ships were likely constructed from teak wood and could carry loads of up to 60 tons, with anchor stones found at Lothal supporting this estimate. The rivers have been our most important source of life. Most of the country depends on fresh water from the various rivers in and around the Indian subcontinent. With rivers came boats. The earliest voyage of mankind was to Australia when the people made rafts to traverse the sea.

We have come a long way from that time. We build ships and cargo containers that traverse the globe daily to deliver our essentials. Let's break down the various periods of boats and the uses of these vessels:

Indus and the hundred oars

Modern oceanographers have observed that the Harappans possessed great knowledge of tides, hydrography, and maritime engineering to build a dock on the ever-shift-ing course of the Sabarmati River. Iron was not used during the Indus Valley civilization. Hence, the ships were made of teak from the region of modern-day Kerala. They were made of wood, stitched together using coir, yarn usually dipped in fish oil.