In a powerful tribute to India's ancient seafaring tradition, the Indian Navy unveiled the 'Ancient Stitched Ship' on May 21, 2025, at Karwar Naval Base.
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00:00India's ancient maritime legacy is set to sail again, quite literally.
00:04In a historic moment under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,
00:07the Indian Navy inducted and unveiled the name of the Ancient Stitch Ship
00:11during a ceremonial event held at the naval base in Karwar, Karnataka on May 21, 2025.
00:17But what exactly is the Ancient Stitch Ship and what makes it very unique?
00:21A meticulously recreated 5th century sea vessel inspired by a painting from the iconic Ajantha Caves,
00:27the project was signed in July 2023 through a tripartite agreement between the Ministry of Culture,
00:33the Indian Navy and the Hodi Innovations, with the Culture of Ministry providing full funding.
00:38Its keel was laid on September 12, 2023.
00:41And what made this ship truly exceptional?
00:43It was built not with steel or machines, but with history, tradition and craftsmanship.
00:48Constructed entirely using traditional techniques and raw materials,
00:52the ship featured thousands of hand-stead joints created by skilled artisans from Kerala.
00:57Equipped with square sails, wooden spars and traditional steering ores,
01:01the ship was unlikely any modern naval vessel.
01:04With no blueprints or physical remains to rely on,
01:07every element was developed from first principles based on two-dimensional painting,
01:12archaeological interpretation and traditional boat-building methods.
01:15To ensure the ship's seaworthiness,
01:16the Indian Navy collaborated with IIT Madras for hydrodynamic testing and conducted in-house
01:23structural analysis of the wooden mast system without using any modern materials.
01:28With the successful construction of the ancient stitch ship,
01:30the first and most formidable phase of the project was completed.
01:34The next phase, a trans-oceanic voyage along the ancient maritime trade routes.
01:39Preparations had already begun for the vessel's maiden journey from Gujarat to Oman,
01:43reviving not just a route, but an entire chapter of India's maritime past.
01:48The ship was not just built, it was revived.
01:50A living vessel of India's heritage, stitched by hand,
01:54powered by legacy and ready to rewrite history at the sea.