Maritime Heritage of Goa and Uttar Kannada

The book covers a part of the West Coast of India from Terekhol to Bhatkal. The maritime traditions of the region vis – a –vis its boat forms, navigation wisdom, deities and beliefs are a blend of the traditions of Malabar on one hand and South Konkan on the other. The rivers of the region though short and swift, are tidal upto a distance from their mouths. Maritime influences therefore penetrate inland along these tidal rivers. As a result, for many centuries in the past, seafaring has been an important activity in the coastal areas which are otherwise not very productive. The physical configuration of the region has been used to explain the development of a maritime culture. The coast also had its ports of antiquity like Honnavar which finds mention in the Periplus of the Erythrean Sea as Naoura, the first port of Damurike or Tamil country. Later the area saw the emergence of ports like Bhatkal under the Bahamanis, Panjim under the Portuguese and Marmagao after independence. Today there are proposals to modernise the ports of Karwar, Belikeri and Honnavar. Though the traditions are similar all over, Goa however has been influenced by Portuguese rule, especially in the older parts. The region is known for its outrigger long row boats, the rampan, that move swiftly. The boatmen ballads in Konkani are melodious and attract the attention of many who have an ear for music.