Navy recreates 5th-century ‘stitched’ wooden vessel
The Indian Navy will induct an ancient stitched wooden vessel, recreation of a 5th century CE ship, inspired by a painting from the Ajanta Caves. The ship, built entirely using traditional methods, will soon undertake a transoceanic voyage from Gujarat to Oman.
The Navy on Tuesday said preparations for the journey were already underway. The ceremonial induction will take place on Wednesday at the Naval Base in Karwar, with Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presiding as chief guest.
The project — a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy and Hodi Innovations — was launched through a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023. Funding was provided by the Culture Ministry.
Led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran, artisans from Kerala built the ‘stitched ship’ without using modern fasteners or materials. Instead, planks were stitched together with ropes — a technique once common in ancient Indian shipbuilding.
With no surviving blueprints or physical models, the design had to be extrapolated from a two-dimensional Ajanta painting, demanding an interdisciplinary effort involving archaeology, naval architecture, hydrodynamics and traditional craftsmanship. The ship features square sails, wooden spars and steering oars — elements rarely seen in today’s naval vessels.
To validate seaworthiness, the Navy worked with IIT-Madras on hydrodynamic testing and conducted structural analysis of the mast system, constructed without contemporary materials.
The stitched ship’s completion marks a major milestone in reviving India’s ancient maritime legacy — transforming a centuries-old artistic image into a fully operational ocean-going vessel.
