Prime Minister Narendra Modi will, on April 6, release a book brought out jointly by National Museum of India and Gujarat-based Darshak Itihas Nidhi on maritime navigation techniques of the people of Kutch, Gujarat.

The treatise, “Maalam ni Pothi,” is a record of stars and clouds, winds and waves, changing colour of water, storms and ominously calm waters, birds and fish, depths and distances over the centuries by navigators of Kutch (Kachchh). When there were no instruments to guide the sail ships, the navigator discovered his own indicators and guided the course of the ship. The accumulated knowledge thus collected by malams (navigators) is enormous, said Hasmukh Shah, Chairman of the Nidhi.

Contains over 900 pages The pothis written by malams in old Gujarati script and old Kachchhi language for each of their voyages were collected by National Museum. The knowledge remained hidden since deciphering the script and reading of language could not be done by scholars from India and abroad.

Darshak Itihas Nidhi got it done by a language expert and historian, Ashok Rajeshirke, who has interpreted the text in his introduction. The facsimile and its Devanagari transcription in the volume run into over 900 pages. Of the selected pothis, the oldest is dated back to 1665. An accompanying booklet by historian Chhaya Goswami is a short treatise on the volume that further explains contents and rationale of pothis included in the volume.

Sustained voyages and enduring contacts with the sea and its milieu made the mariners of the Gulf of Kachchh to develop a rich, deep understanding and knowledge of the sea. They acquired knowledge about astronomy, astrology, Vaastu, marine biology, zoology and navigational sciences using celestial reference.

Multifaceted seamen The content of the pothis portrays them as multifaceted seamen, explorers, naturalists, hydrographers, writers and mariners. It, thus, highlights several significant contributions of these malams made to science of navigation, seamanship, language, and literature, Shah pointed out. Studies and researches in history, more importantly the maritime history of India, would get a fillip with this book, he said.

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