Architecture to the Sea

Mandvi is a four hundred years old shipbuilding yard on the coast of Arabian Sea. It also used to be a major seaport with ships that sailed to Arabia and Africa. It is situated about 52km from Bhuj, the capital of Kutch district, Gujarat. It is one of the last places in the subcontinent that still makes giant wooden sailing vessels. The craftsmen of Mandvi ship making industry are working on the land, touching the sky and aims to the sea to conquer. The age-old wooden shipbuilding industry is an example of extreme strength and handicraft skill, which is still there in the age of industrialization. The craft is still surviving because of the strong will and their respect for it. These people are the trailblazers of this craft in the future. The objective of the project is to document the hard work, patience and the intricacy of the craft that involves creating the giants. An emphasis is also put to highlight the environment in which they are working and the lifestyle around it.

Mandvi, Gujarat