Fieldwork

During January 1997, working under the aegis of Tamil University, Thanjavur, we visited boatyards at Atirampattinam, shipbuilding sites at Tuticorin and Cuddalore, and beach landing places at Atirampattinam and nearby Eripurakarai, as well as others near Cuddalore (see Fig. 7.1). The Tuticorin thoni (Fig. 7.7) and the Cuddalore kotia (Fig. 7.8) were examined and photographed while they were being built on foreshore building sites,

and the mistri – the master shipwright in charge of each of these sites – was asked about his design methods and building techniques. The vattal dumb lighter and the vallam fishing boat were noted but not recorded further, as time did not allow this. The vattai fishing boat, on the other hand, was documented in detail: while being built at Dawood’s yard at Atirampattinam, while beached at Eripurakarai (Fig. 7.9) and other nearby sites, and while underway in the northern coastal waters of Palk Bay.