The Indian government is increasing efforts to promote and preserve intangible heritage. A new venture undertaken is to revive the marine heritage of India. In July, the Ministry of Culture and the Indian Navy entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to preserve and rejuvenate the art of the stitched shipbuilding method called Tankai.

The Project

According to the MoU, the Indian Navy will oversee the implementation and execution of the entire project. The Indian Navy’s involvement will ensure seamless project management and adherence to the highest standards of safety and precision, as they are the custodians of maritime security and experts in the field. Their invaluable experience and technical knowledge will play a pivotal role in the successful revival of the ancient stitching method and the construction of the stitched ships.

The Press release states that the Indian Navy understands the significance of reviving and rejuvenating this fading art and its importance in ensuring the preservation of cultural heritage for future generations.

The initiative intends to capitalise on the skills of India’s last traditional shipwrights and highlight their remarkable workmanship. The project seeks to gain insights into the historical interactions across the Indian Ocean by sailing along ancient maritime routes while using traditional navigational techniques. This will facilitate research in the spread of Indian culture, knowledge systems, traditions, technologies, and ideas. However, the exact plans for implementation are still not available.

Tankai Method

The Tankai method is an ancient shipbuilding technique which dates back 2000 years. It entails stitching wooden planks together to build ships and eschews the use of nails. The benefit main of this technique is the enhanced flexibility and durability of ships. It also reduces the vulnerability to damage from shoals and sandbars. The stitched ships are inexpensive to make as well as easy to repair, hence increasing the longevity of the ships.

With the arrival of European ships in India, there was a gradual shift in shipbuilding techniques, leading to a decline in the practice of the Tankai method. However, this technique is still practised in coastal regions of India and is used predominately in the construction of small local fishing boats.

Although the ships are not seaworthy by today’s standards they are a valuable part of India’s maritime heritage.