Yukti Kalpataru is a famous treatise in Sanskrit principally on ship building in ancient Hindu world. It was written and compiled by king Bhoja of Dhara (C 1000 – 1055 CE) of the Paramara dynasty. And therefore it is also known as Yukti Kalpataru Of Bhoja.
There are references to shipping and shipbuilding in other languages of the world but Yukti Kalpataru is the oldest book which deals with shipbuilding in such exhaustive detail.
Apart from Shipping, Yuktikalpataru also touches upon many other topics like selection of jewels, swords, horses, elephants, ornaments, flags and so on.
The book begins with the selection of wood for building boats and ships. The ships are built using light and hard and this type of wood cannot be joined with other types of woods like soft and heavy or hard and heavy or light and soft. The light and hard wood brings wealth and happiness as per the author. Ships made of other types of wood are not good and do not last long. They rot in water early and are liable to split at the slightest shock.
Yukti Kalpataru Of Bhoja gives an elaborate classification of ships based on size. There are ordinary ships that are used to travel in rivers and special ships which are used in the ocean. Under the ordinary class are ten types of ships and boats, differing in length, breadth, and height. Ocean-going vessels have two sub classes – dirgha, noted for length, having 10 varieties, unnata, noted for height rather than for dimensions.
River Boats are classified as follows:
The measurement is done in cubits and one cubit is equal to 18 to 21 inches.
Name length breadth Height
Ksudra (16 cubits) (4 cubits) (4 cubits)
Madhyama 24 12 8
Bhima 40 20 20
Capala 48 24 25
Patala 64 32 32
Bhaya 72 36 36
Dirgha 88 44 44
Patraputa 96 48 48
Garbhara 112 56 56
Manthara 120 60 60
Ocean Ships are classified as follows: Dirgha
Name length breadth Height
Dirghika (32 cubits) (4 cubits) (3 cubits)
Tarani 48 6 4
Lola 64 8 4
Gatvara 80 10 8
Gamini 96 12 9
Tari 112 14 11
Janghala 128 16 12
Plavini 144 18 14
Dharini 160 20 16
Begini 176 22 17
Ocean Ships Unnata
Name length breadth Height
Urdhva (32 cubits) (16 cubits) (16 cubits)
Anurdhva 48 24 24
Svarnamukhi 64 32 32
Garbhini 80 40 40
Manthara 96 48 48
King Bhoja of Dhara in his Yukti Kalpataru also gives the qualities of various types of ships. Bhima, bhaya and garbara, for example, are liable to bring bad luck. Among dirgha ships, lola is associated with misfortune and urdhva brings luck and profits.
Raja Bhoja further classifies ships according to length and position of cabins. Sarvamandira vessels have the largest cabins, extending from one end of the ship to other and used generally for pleasure trips of royalty. Ships which have their cabin towards the prows are called agramandira and are used for long voyages and in naval warfare. These ships are used in dry seasons after rains have ceased.
Source –
- Encyclopedia of Hinduism Volume XI page 642 – IHRF – Rupa
- The positive background of Hindu sociology (1914) Benoy Sarkar and Kumar Brajendranath Seal – AMS Press New York.