Description

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PC: Mint

Context

The Indian Navy has commissioned the INSV Kaundinya, a rebuilt 5th-century embroidered ship based on representations from the Ajanta Cave paintings.

Induction	Newly inducted stitched sail ship of the Indian Navy, formally inducted at Karwar Naval Base.
Design	Based on a 5th-century ship design depicted in a painting from the Ajanta Caves.
Construction Method	Built using ancient Indian shipbuilding techniques: coconut fibre stitching, wooden joinery, coir ropes, natural resins, and cotton sails.
No Modern Additions	No metal parts, no modern rudder; powered by square sails and steered using oars.
Cultural Symbols	Features include Gandabherunda (a two-headed eagle of the Kadamba dynasty), Simha Yali on the bow, and a Harappan-style stone anchor.
Sail Plan	Equipped with 3 masts: main mast, mizzen mast, and bowsprit mast.
Planned Voyage	A 15-member Indian Navy crew will sail it to Oman by late 2025, retracing ancient maritime trade routes.
Project Partners	Ministry of Culture, Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations Pvt. Ltd.

Kaundinya is regarded as the first known Indian sailor to cross the oceans more than 2,000 years ago.
He is credited for establishing the kingdom of Funan (modern-day Cambodia and South Vietnam) through a historic alliance with Queen Soma.
Their story is documented in Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Chinese sources, but not in Indian writings.
Future kingdoms, like as the Khmer and Cham, traced their roots to this coupling.

INSV Kaundinya is set to traverse the ancient maritime commerce route from Gujarat to Oman later in 2025.
The ship was built utilizing old "stitched ship" techniques, which involve joining wooden planks with coir ropes, coconut fibres, and natural resin rather than metal nails.
The design was inspired by the Ajanta mural paintings, which represent a 5th-century sea landscape.
Because there are no surviving plans, the design method required interpreting 2D artistic depictions using archeological, naval architecture, and hydrodynamic studies.
The sails include symbols such as the 'Gandabherunda' (a mythological two-headed eagle) and the Sun, which represent strength and energy.
The bow features a 'Simha Yali' (mythical lion-like figure), which reflects traditional South Indian marine iconography.
A Harappan-style stone anchor on the deck links the ship to India's Indus Valley maritime tradition.
The ship, named after Kaundinya, a legendary Indian sailor who reached Southeast Asia, commemorates India's involvement in historic transoceanic trade and cultural interaction.