https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=ChhotChhot - Revision history2026-10-29T02:44:04ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chhot&diff=494027&oldid=prevAliciaPaschall: Added Page2026-03-27T08:44:19Z<p>Added Page</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Fishing boat found in Bengal}}<br />
[[File:Chhot 17.jpg|thumb|A ''Chhot'' boat with sails]]<br />
'''''Chhot''''' is a fishing boat, found in coastal water and coastal rivers of [[Bengal]].<ref name="Bhattacharyya">{{cite web |last1=Bhattacharyya |first1=Swarup |title=History of the chhot boat |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/heritage/history-of-the-chhot-boat/article66888957.ece |website=Frontline |publisher=The Hindu Group |access-date=26 December 2023 |date=2 June 2023}}</ref> This boats was widely used by fishermen in the lower reaches of the [[Rupnarayan River|Rupnarayan]] and [[Hooghly River|Hooghly]] rivers. The boat is capable of sailing in coastal waters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rangan Datta |title=Chhot’, a lost boat of Bengal |url=https://www-telegraphindia-com.translate.goog/my-kolkata/lifestyle/chhot-lost-boat-of-bengal-remade-on-banks-of-the-rupnarayan-by-anthropologist-swarup-bhattacharya-under-british-museums-endangered-material-knowledge-programme/cid/1895555?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=hi&_x_tr_hl=hi&_x_tr_pto=tc |access-date=19 September 2024}}</ref><br />
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''Chhot'' boats were used for fishing as well as for transporting goods. However, the use of these boats is on the verge of extinction.<ref name="Mitra"/><ref name="telegraphindia-Basu"/><br />
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In 2022, ''Chhot'' boat building methods and techniques were documented. This documentation was completed by the ''Endangered Materials Knowledge Program'' (EMKP) funded by the [[British Museum]].<ref name="emkp"/><br />
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== History==<br />
No information is available on the history of the ''Chhot'' boat. The Jhumjhumi was famous for building these boats. These boats were used for fishing as well as carrying cargo until the mid-20th century, but are now used exclusively for fishing. Boats were loaded with rice from [[rice mill]]s around [[Kolaghat]] and delivered to the destination. These boats also used to tow ''Khorokisti'' carrying straw from remote areas of the [[Sundarbans]] to [[Kolkata]].<br />
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=== Reconstruction and documentation ===<br />
{{Quote box<br />
|quote = The specialty of this boat called "Chhot" is that the wooden hulls are joined with metal in such a way that the shape of the boat is like a 'V'. Helps to cut river water easily. So the entire process is being documented.<br />
|author = —Prof. John P. Cooper<br />
| width = 25%<br />
|align = right<br />
}}<br />
A reconstruction project was undertaken under a collaborative project between the [[University of Exeter]] in the United Kingdom and the [[Central University of Haryana]] in India to document ''Chhot'' boat construction knowledge.<ref name="Mitra">{{cite web |last1=Mitra |first1=Saheli |title=Bengal's century-old Chhot boat technique to be preserved in the British Museum |url=https://www.getbengal.com/details/bengals-century-old-chhot-boat-technique-to-be-preserved-in-the-british-museum |website=Get Bengal |access-date=26 December 2023 |date=17 February 2023}}</ref> The reconstruction and documentation project is known as ''The chhot-builders of West Bengal, India: Documenting the vanishing craft knowledge of a unique boat-building tradition''.<ref name="emkp">{{cite web |title=The chhot-builders of West Bengal, India: Documenting the vanishing craft knowledge of a unique boat-building tradition |url=https://www.emkp.org/the-chhot-builders-of-west-bengal-india-documenting-the-vanishing-craft-knowledge-of-a-unique-boat-building-tradition/ |website=www.emkp.org |publisher=Endangered Materials Knowledge Program |access-date=26 December 2023 |date=12 August 2022}}</ref><ref name="Chattopadhyay">{{cite web |last1=Chattopadhyay |first1=Suhrid Sankar |title=Chhot boats: A Bengali tradition runs aground |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/heritage/the-sinking-art-of-making-chhot-boats-a-bengali-tradition-runs-aground/article66888774.ece |website=Frontline |publisher=The Hindu Group |access-date=26 December 2023 |date=2 June 2023}}</ref><ref name="Singh">{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Shiv Sahay |title=Buoyant history afloat on a neglected boat in Bengal |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/an-extinct-boat-that-inspired-an-international-project-has-no-takers/article66766762.ece |access-date=26 December 2023 |work=The Hindu |publisher=The Hindu Group |date=22 April 2023 |location=Howrah/Kolkata}}</ref> A documentary on the making of "Chhot" boats was produced jointly by India and the United Kingdom, with ''Endangered Materials Knowledge Program'' by the financial support of the [[British Museum]].<ref name="news18"/><ref name="telegraphindia">{{cite news |title=Chhot boat for archival project lies in ruins |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/news/chhot-boat-made-for-the-endangered-material-knowledge-programme-of-the-british-museum-lies-in-ruins/cid/1937485 |access-date=26 December 2023 |work=Telegraph India |publisher=The Telegraph (India) |date=17 May 2023}}</ref><ref name="eisamay">{{cite news |last1=Majhi |first1=Suman |title=হারানো শিল্প টিকিয়ে রাখতে উদ্যোগ! বানানো হচ্ছে মাছ ধরার নৌকা তৈরির ভিডিয়ো, থাকবে ব্রিটিশ মিউজিয়ামে |url=https://eisamay.com/west-bengal-news/howrah-news/shyampur-village-fishing-boat-created-for-used-preservation-at-british-museum/articleshow/95303810.cms |access-date=26 December 2023 |work=Eisamay |date=4 November 2022 |language=bn}}</ref><br />
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{{multiple image |perrow=2/2|total_width=380|caption_align=left<br />
| align =left<br />
| image1 =Chhot 1.jpg<br />
| image2 =Chhot 2.jpg<br />
| footer = '''Left''': The chief craftsman of the ''Chhot'' boat is (left to right) Panchanan Mondal and his associates are Dilip Mondal, Amal Mondal, Deepak Mondal and Manimohan Mondal, '''Right''': Project Supervisors — (left to right) John P. Cooper, Zeeshan Ali Shaikh and Swarup Bhattacharya.<br />
}}<br />
The construction work of ''Chhot'' was completed at ''Dihimandal Ghat'' at Shyampur, [[Howrah district]], West Bengal. Panchanan Mandal was the main craftsman of this boat; Panchanan Mandal and his 4 sons built this almost defunct boat. The boat was built in about 40 days. All construction activities and procedures from start to finish of boat building are captured by [[videography]], which has been preserved in a museum in England. On 10 November 2022, the boat made its first voyage.<ref name="telegraphindia-Basu">{{cite news |last1=Basu |first1=Ansuya |title=Built from scratch, 'Chhot' boat sets sail in Roopnarayan |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/news/built-from-scratch-chhot-boat-sets-sail-in-roopnarayan/cid/1897460 |access-date=26 December 2023 |work=Telegraph India |publisher=The Telegraph (India) |date=11 November 2022 }}</ref> A total of Rs 350,000 was spent on the construction of the boat.<ref name="telegraphindia-Basu"/><ref name="news18">{{cite news |last1=Ghosh |first1=Soumbrata |title=তৈরি হচ্ছে ভারতীয় মাছ ধরার প্রাচীন ছোট নৌকা! |url=https://bengali.news18.com/news/howrah/old-and-traditional-small-boats-going-to-make-at-howrah-l18-921450.html |access-date=26 December 2023 |work=News18 Bangla |publisher=News18 |date=5 November 2022}}</ref><br />
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== Architecture ==<br />
The design of a ''Chhot'' boat enables the boat to sail in coastal rivers and coastal waters. The hull of this boat is deep and pointed. The hull of the wooden boat is V-shaped,<ref name="telegraphindia-Basu"/> which allows the boat to remain stable in the water even when buffeted by waves or wind. Due to its basically "V" shape, the boat is suitable for coastal waters.<ref name="Mitra"/><br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist|3}}<br />
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{{Fishing vessel topics}}<br />
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[[Category:Boats]]<br />
[[Category:Culture of Bengal]]</div>AliciaPaschall