Fishermen’s Catamaran In Madras, 1905 Postcard
This is an old 1905 postcard of a fishing catamaran off the coast of Madras, now Chennai. The Catamaran is a floating raft made with three or four log panels fastened with thick rope or vine.
A simple but effective contraption used from ancient times by Tamil Nadu fishermen. It does not sink or capsize that easily. “Catamaran” is anglicized from the Tamil word “Kettu Maram” or “fastened timber” by the British.
It was so effective that ancient Tamil seafarers set sail to distant lands of Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, and so on. These once prolific fishing catamarans have almost disappeared from the coast of Tamil Nadu. Replaced with modern fishing boats, to withstand a rougher sea and weather.
Read more about The Catamaran.
Did you know- in the 1870s Nathanael Herreshoff of America built catamarans that sailed so successfully against mono hulled boats that they were barred from organized racing.
From the collection- 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal On Paper Nude (#3)., Taj Mahal Hotel Bombay -1907 Rare Advertisement., Vintage Book 1877 – Illustrated India: Its Princes And People., British Family At Dal Lake Colonial Era – Old Photo 1895
