KONKAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN MARITIME LINKAGES

The present work emphasises the extensive cultural diffusion of the Indian subcontinent, especially along the Konkan coast and Southeast Asia. The book contains a significant amount of information and discoveries regarding the contacts and culture of the two areas. This encompasses the maritime capabilities of the Konkan coast, the Maritime interactions of the Vijayanagara Empire, Indian vessels discovered in Southeast Asian waters, the ethnography of Indian ships, and fresh insights.

The sections concerning the Indian ships depicted in the Borobudur stupa, along with related sections, are particularly compelling given the author’s assertions that Java’s outrigger vessels stem from Indian origins, a claim strongly backed by the currently observed South Indian boats used for everyday purposes. All the phases of constructing outrigger canoes are still practised here, and the Javan versions are imitations of the original expertise rather than the modified expertise of the new area. This will bridge the gap in the ongoing legacy of Greater Karnataka and the Konkan coast regarding the interactions and cultural exchanges with Southeast Asia.The author is recognised in the field of Indian marine studies, having published a number of books and research articles at both national and international conferences, and this monograph is not his initial endeavour.