Maritime Heritage – Maritime History Society

Mughal Women in Maritime Trade: Jahanara

Posted on December 23, 2022December 23, 2022 by mhsadmin

By Sadaf Khan, Archives & Collections Associate (Maritime History Society)

Figure 1 Jahanara Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jahanara_Begum#/media/File:Princess_Jahanara_aged_18,_British_Library,_Add_Or_3129,_f.13v.jpg

In the previous two segments, we have read about Mariam-uz-Zamani and Nur Jahan’s maritime pursuits. While Mariam-uz-Zamani had to struggle to navigate her path in maritime ventures, Nur Jahan, on the other hand, played her cards well. With a political acumen and a vision for economic success, she managed to pull off her maritime enterprise smoothly without a glitch. In this last and final piece of the Trilogy- Mughal women in maritime trade, we read about Shahzaadi Jahanara, popularly known as Begam Saheb (Princess of Princesses). Continue reading “Mughal Women in Maritime Trade: Jahanara” →

Vanguard of the Skies and the Seas: INAS 300

Posted on July 7, 2022July 6, 2022 by mhsadmin

By Ms Sadaf Khan, Archive and Collection Associate, Maritime History Society

Leading Fighter Air Squadron of the Indian Navy, the White Tigers was commissioned on 07 July 1960 by Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Pandit, the then High Commissioner of India in Brawdy, Whales UK. During the commissioning ceremony Mrs. Pandit gave the Squadron its Crest- ‘White Tiger of Rewa’. With nine gallantry awards and unaccountable achievements in many major operations, White Tigers is one of the only squadrons to have operated in all three fighter aircrafts of the Indian Navy, the Sea Hawks, Sea Harrier and MiG-29K; and from all three Aircraft Carrier Ships I.e. INS Vikrant (R11), INS Viraat (R22) and INS Vikramaditya. Continue reading “Vanguard of the Skies and the Seas: INAS 300” →

Enduring legacy of INS Kunjali

Posted on July 1, 2022July 1, 2022 by mhsadmin

By Amruta Talawadekar, Senior Research Associate, Maritime History Society

At the very end of the Navy Nagar in Colaba, Mumbai is a naval establishment that overlooks the southern tip of Mumbai called INS Kunjali. INS Kunjali is the naval base set up to administer the Regulating School of the Navy, the School of Music, the Provost Headquarters of the Navy at Mumbai, the IN-Detention Quarters, and the Indian Naval Band. 01 Jul 1954 marks the 68^th commissioning anniversary of the Indian Naval base INS Kunjali. On this day let us revisit the saga of its meritorious service. Continue reading “Enduring legacy of INS Kunjali” →

REVISITING HMS MINDEN

Posted on June 19, 2022June 19, 2022 by mhsadmin

By Ms Saba Purkar, Project Research Associate, Maritime History Society

Shipbuilding in India gained momentum in the nineteenth century when the East Indian Company built the Bombay Dockyard and started the construction of ships. The British initially used the Indian shipbuilding ports for repairs to deal with the increasing piracy threats from Indians and Europeans and other foreign powers. The constant sea battles and the rapid building of ships lead to the shortage of oakwood in Britain, which forced them to build ships in their overseas colonies. Hence, the company was sanctioned to build ships in India. In March 1736, the arrival of Lowjee Nusserwanjee Wadia in Bombay from Surat marks the start of the ‘golden age’ of shipbuilding in Bombay.

Continue reading “REVISITING HMS MINDEN” →

The Anathema to Narcissus

Posted on June 1, 2022 by mhsadmin

By Ms Gargie Kode, Research Intern, Maritime History Society

Nautical Fiction is a genre that has intrigued the masses with its larger-than-life representation of sea voyages, the life of the seamen and bringing forth various aspects of nautical culture. This is a genre that is filled with the finest details of the voyages and expeditions, elucidation of the roaring deep blue sea, narratives of the struggles of the sailors together laced with lores of the maritime expanse. As the genre evolved, it became synonymous with Joseph Conrad- one of the most famous exponents of this genre. Popular among readers for his works like the “Heart of Darkness“, “Lord Jim“, “Typhoon” and one of his distinguished works which was disputable for its contentious title: “The Nigger of the Narcissus“. Continue reading “The Anathema to Narcissus” →

Three Stories of Sea Voyages from the Buddhist Jatakas

Posted on May 16, 2022May 16, 2022 by mhsadmin

By Mr Dennard H D’Souza, Senior Research Associate, Maritime History Society

Stories act as a conduit through which the complexity of human expression can be transmitted through simple narratives. They are also used as a medium to project broad contours of metanarratives that can be barely reproduced through other modes of communication. India has a large repository of stories that fall in this genre of literature. At face value, they appear to be fantastical in their composition but beneath the surface, they tell a story which is embedded in the cultural, political and social milieu of the Indian past. Continue reading “Three Stories of Sea Voyages from the Buddhist Jatakas” →

The Legacy of the Angre’s on the Western Coast of India

Posted on April 1, 2022April 4, 2022 by mhsadmin

By Ms Tanvi Karkare, Research Intern

Indian piracy- a chapter of the Indian Maritime History that is often disregarded due to various misunderstandings and lack of information. The taboo and stigma associated with the term “piracy” negate the possibility of actual reasoning behind the activities carried out and create misconceptions swindled by sources. Continue reading “The Legacy of the Angre’s on the Western Coast of India” →

Royal Charter: The Beginning of a Saga

Posted on March 27, 2022April 1, 2022 by mhsadmin

By Ms Sundari Khargonkar, Research Intern, Maritime History Society

Mumbai, (erstwhile Bombay) has been a treasure trove for several rulers whose influence has led to political changes in the region. In 1661, the then seven islands of Bombay were given as a gift to King Charles II of England on his marriage to the Portuguese Princess Infanta Catherine of Braganza. The British Crown then rented the islands to the English East India Company (EEIC) who significantly contributed to Bombay’s development. The blog throws light on the aftermath of the Royal Charter signed between the British Crown and EEIC on 27 March 1668¹. Continue reading “Royal Charter: The Beginning of a Saga” →

Trade and Polity in the Indian Ocean: State Formation in Late Medieval Kerala

Posted on March 24, 2022April 1, 2022 by mhsadmin

By Ms Jibita Jans Binnu, Research Intern, Maritime History Society

Introduction

The term Malabar denotes the Indian Subcontinent’s southwestern region, which comprises Malayalam-speaking areas. Geographically, it extended from the Western Ghats to the Arabian Sea. Following the intrusion of the Europeans, the process of state creation and the idea of the power structure in various areas of Kerala underwent a massive change.

Continue reading “Trade and Polity in the Indian Ocean: State Formation in Late Medieval Kerala” →

Sentinels of the Deep: INS Karanj

Posted on March 16, 2022 by Janhavi Lokegaonkar

By Janhavi Lokegaonkar, Senior Research Associate, Maritime History Society

The efficacy of submarines as a potent military machine was established during the Second World War. Since then, the advancement of these submersible combat vessels have earned them the sobriquet of ‘silent killers of the deep’. They are valued for their relative undetectability underwater and capability to sneak up and destroy a much stronger warships using lethal torpedoes or anti-ship missiles. This gives them the badge of being one of the best deterrents that any navy can possess. The Indian Navy inducted its first submarines in 1967, which were the Foxtrot-class submarines from the erstwhile Soviet Union. Today, the Indian Navy submarine arm has come a long way progressing towards indigenous construction and demonstrating India’s technological prowess. Continue reading “Sentinels of the Deep: INS Karanj” →