Indian monument tells the story of friendship

MUSCAT, DEC 17
As the Sultanate of Oman welcomes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a landmark piece of art carved in wood stands as a testimony to the long-standing friendship between the two countries connected by maritime relations for thousands of years in Muscat.
The ship, located at the crossroads of Al Bustan, Sidab, and Wadi Kabir, is beautifully decorated with flowers, facing the beach on one side and the Oman Majlis on the other. It serves as a memoir of the over 5,000-year-old relations between the two countries.
This replica of the ship ‘Sohar’ was built in 1981 by Indian national Ali Manikfan, who was awarded the Padma Shri Award by the government of India for his attention to the environment and dedication to learning and educating. The Padma Shri award is the fourth-highest civilian honour in India.
Ali Manikfan, 82, from Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep, was a self-made man who excelled in marine biology, ecology, cosmology, shipbuilding, and multilingualism without any formal training. India honoured his commitment by naming a fish after him, Abudefduf Manikfani, a species he helped discover and classify while working with marine biologist Dr Santhappan Jones at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).
The ship ‘Sohar’ was traditionally built without nails in Sur, using nearly four tonnes of coconut fibre rope to sew the planks of its hull together. It sailed in the 8th century, with the oldest version believed to have been used by Sindbad the Sailor during the early Abbasid Caliphate for his seven voyages throughout the seas of East Africa and South Asia.
The replica of the ship ‘Sohar’ commemorates the legendary Omani sea voyage to China, proving ancient maritime links and inspiring tales like Sindbad. It was sailed by Irish explorer and adventurer Tim Severin in 1980-81 to retrace the historic route, demonstrating the feasibility of these sewn-plank ships and revitalising Oman's seafaring heritage, standing today as a symbol of this rich history.
In 1976, Tim Severn faced the challenge of finding a traditional Arab sailing ship when he wanted to sail from Oman to China. It took three years of research and planning before he met Ali Manikfan, who gathered thirty shipbuilding experts from Kerala and elsewhere to begin work in Sur. Tim and his team set sail on the ship on November 21, 1980, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos's ascension to power. The voyage following the sea routes of Sindbad took eight months to cover 9,600 kilometres from Sur to Canton in China.