The Arabian ganja which has survived the baghla is very similar in build to that dhow but far less ornate in its decor. Thev are akin to the Indian kotia and indeed many were built in the Gulf of Kutch. At the turn of the century it was also not unusual for kotias to be sold to Arabian and Persian TS. Differences in the types are few. The Indian has a low stemhead motif whereas the Arab one has a long neck and is surmounted by what is known as a taj.
Many years have passed since a ganja has been built and it is thought that less than ten now remain in commission, all of them well past their prime. Omani ganjas used to make the seasonal trip to Mombasa but such voyages are becom-ng less frequent.
Trader resembling the baghla*; built at Sur on the Oman coast. In the past, often a slightly modified kotia* built in the Kutch area of northwestern India but operated by Arabs. Frequently used by pirates in the early 19th century. Probably extinct. Characteristically had the kotia's parrot's head on the long stemhead, which was modi¬fied by the addition of a trefoil crest; at the base of the stemhead, a short bar extended out each side of the bow. Stern transom less ornate than the baghla and may lack the vestigial quarter galleries, stern win¬dows, and counter, but generally brightly painted designs decorate the poop. Sides flared at the poop to compensate for the wide transom. Fully decked; late 19th-century vessels had an open waist, but freeboard raised by mat weathercloths. Rudder passed through the poop or hung out when there was no counter; steered with a wheel. Ship's boat*, usually a mashua*, hung from stout catheads at the stern. Hull coated with fat and lime mixture. Normally stepped 2 masts, but might also use a jigger. Forward-raking mainmast set a large lateen sail; the vertical mizzen-mast hoisted a smaller sail. Some employed a leg-of-mutton mizzen. Engines installed on most later ves¬sels. Crew of 15-20. Reported lengths 21-39m, widths 5.5-8m, depths 2.6-4m.
State of Bahrain 1979;100f;SG 261
Sultanat of Oman 1996;1r;SG 450
Sourse: Source : A Dictionary of the world’s Watercraft from Aak to Zumbra.
C.Hawkins:The Dhow