Traditional Manji Cargo Vessels
Captured during the Queen Abbakka cruise on the Nethravathi-Gurupur estuary, this image shows three traditional wooden cargo vessels, locally known as manjis, resting along the Bengre (Thota Bengre) riverfront in Mangaluru, Karnataka.
Although their weathered wooden hulls give them an old appearance, the manjis appear to be operational. The intact cabins, masts and equipment, as well as the activity around the vessels, suggest that they are still in use.
As seen in the image, these dhow-like vessels have deep wooden hulls, raised bows, cabins, and tall masts with rigging. Modern manjis are motorized and are generally classified as Mechanised Sailing Vessels (MSVs). Vessels of this type typically carry around 200 tonnes of cargo.
Situated on a narrow, peninsula-like strip of land between the Gurupur estuary and the Arabian Sea, Thota Bengre is home to a fishing community engaged in traditional fishing and wooden boatbuilding.
Historically, manjis played an important role in Mangaluru’s coastal trade. The Old Mangalore Port, locally known as Bunder or Dakke, has a much longer history as a trading port and was used to transport passengers and goods to the Lakshadweep islands and the Middle East. Mangaluru’s maritime connections with West Asia go back centuries, when Arab merchants traded silk and spices through the port.
While the opening of New Mangalore Port at Panambur in 1974 was a major boost to the economy of the region, it shifted much of Mangaluru’s maritime traffic away from the Old Port, thereby diminishing the use of manjis. However, the traditional trade did not disappear altogether. Manjis and other mechanised sailing vessels continue to operate from the Old Port, carrying cargo to regional ports and the Lakshadweep islands. Their cargo includes construction materials, food items, and even vehicles.
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