The book by Prof B. Arunachalam is the outcome of over two decades of research in the investigation of traditional tools and techniques of Indian seafarers who have contributed to the rich maritime heritage of India. The ancient and medieval Indian navigators who regularly traversed the North Indian Ocean and adjacent seas in pursuit of trade and cultural exchanges certainly knew the art of navigation. The mariner had faith in his sea wisdom, in Nature and he looked upon the sea as an environment, which could be mastered with knowledge, experience and faith. The book is an account of how he did it. A vital component of the book is the Appendix that carries English versions of excerpts from handwritten sailors’ manuals in coastal dialects of different Indian languages, which provide rich material for further research by those interested in India’s maritime heritage and traditions.
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