NEW DELHI: A one-of-a-kind project to recreate a 5th-century stitched shipbased on an ancient painting from the Ajanta Caves has been successfully completed. No other such ship exists or is in service anywhere in the world today.The Indian Navy announced on Tuesday that the ship will be officially inducted and named during a ceremonial event at the Naval Base in Karwar on Wednesday.The Minister of Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, will attend the ceremony as Chief Guest and formally induct the ship into the Indian Navy.This stitched ship was inspired by a painting from the 5th-century CE found in the Ajanta Caves. The project began with a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations, Goa. The Ministry of Culture provided funding.The keel of the ship was laid on 12 September 2023. Construction followed traditional shipbuilding techniques using natural materials and was led by master shipwright Babu Sankaran, with skilled artisans from Kerala. Thousands of joints were hand-stitched using traditional rope and sealed with a mix of coconut fibre, resin, and fish oil methods once used in ancient Indian shipbuilding.
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