Tranquebar Maritime Museum, Tharangampadi,
Nagapattinam
Tranquebar
maritime museum housed in a palm and bamboo hut has a few fishing
paraphernalia, a model fisherman house, a few old maps. This will soon be
housed in King's street where a house is being renovated for this purpose. The
Masula boat is unique to the Coramandel coast. It has several planks sewn
together thus making it elastic. These boats helped the ships to transfer the
goods to the fort. The making of the boat will be shown live to the visitors
when the museum shifts to its new premises.
The
antiquities connected with the colonial period and Danish settlements at
Tharangampadi are exhibited. The museum contains porcelain ware, Danish
manuscripts, glass objects, Chinese tea jars, steatite lamps, decorated
terracotta objects, figurines, lamps, stone sculptures, swords, daggers,
spears, Sudai (stucco) figurines, Megalithic Urn, Chola period utensils and
wooden objects. There is also part of a whale skeleton, a giant sawfish rostrum
and small cannonballs. Visiting hours: 10.00 a.m to 5.00 p.m, Friday- Holiday.
Tharangampadi
is located at about 283 kms (176 miles) from the state capital Chennai and 30 kms from
Mayiladuthurai, in Nagapattinam District. Nearest Railway Station is located at
Mayiladuthurai & Nearest Airport is located at Trichy.
