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First published in 2002,
Heritage of Indian Sea Navigation explores the rich maritime traditions of Indian seamen, offering valuable insights for navigators, historians, and heritage enthusiasts. Based on quarter of a century of research, the book traces centuries-old practices of sailing vessel navigation in the northern and central Indian Ocean, drawing from oral testimonies and rare handwritten manuscripts in regional dialects. Presented in accessible language, the book is divided into two parts: a thematic analysis of Indian seamen's navigational wisdom and an appendix featuring English translations of excerpts in Kutchi, Malayalam, and Tamil scripts. This essential reference work is ideal for scholars of Indian maritime history, history of Indian navigation, historical geography, geography and South Asian studies.
List of contents
About Maritime History Society Foreword Author's Note Acknowledgements 1. Source Material for Indigenous Navigation Technology
2. Basic Navigation Parameters in Indian Traditions
3. Astral Navigation- Steering by the Stars
4. The Ra-P-Palagai Sastram
5. Sun Observations in the Indian Seas
6. Stellar Location Fix
7. The Problem of Longitude Convergence
8. Traditional Sea and Sky Wisdom
9. Indian Sea Voyages
10. Native Indian Sea Charts
11. Believes, Faiths and Superstitions of the Seamen
Appendix I Appendix II Appendix III Index
About the author
Professor B. Arunachalam will be fondly remembered for his scholarly contributions to Indian Geography, especially in the field of Geomorphology and Cartography and for opening new vistas of academic collaboration and research in the professional field of history of Indian navigation.
About the Maritime History Society:The Maritime History Society (MHS), an academic initiative of the Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy was established on 12 May 1978 by the late Vice Admiral MP Awati with a vision to promote the study of India's maritime history. MHS has grown into a leading research organisation dedicated to exploring the country's rich maritime heritage and naval legacy. As part of its academic mission, MHS undertakes a wide range of activities including publication of scholarly books, hosting seminars, lectures, workshops and curating maritime-themed museums, exhibitions and heritage projects including the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat. The Society also maintains a well- curated gallery with over 2,000 artefacts, a reference library and digital presence featuring blogs and display of artefacts. Its collaboration with Talyor and Francis under the Routledge Revival series further extends its educational outreach. We hope that these publications will inspire a new generation of researchers and scholars, contributing to a deeper understanding of India's rich maritime past and naval legacy.
