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INS Tarangini: A Bridge of Friendship in Jeddah Port.

 My name is Ikbal, and this "Travoltage" for ishabil.com details a unique opportunity I had to visit the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tarangini when it docked at Jeddah Port as part of its global voyage, "Lokayatan" (World Journey).

Journey Through the Port

The visit was organized by the Consulate General of India in Jeddah. We boarded a vehicle provided by the Consulate at Gate No. 2 of Jeddah Port. The drive to the ship was lengthy, taking us deep into the port area. Along the way, we witnessed the immense scale of the port: massive container ships docked, huge trucks (including those being offloaded from ships), countless shipping containers, and various port structures. Finally, our vehicle stopped right beside the ship.

There she was: the majestic INS Tarangini , a beautiful vessel reminiscent of old-world sailing ships, flying the large Indian flag proudly.

About INS Tarangini

Though part of the Indian Navy, Tarangini is not a combat vessel. It is a sail training ship, used to train officer cadets in seamanship.

  • Construction: Built in Goa, India, the ship was commissioned in 1997.

  • Mission: Its name means "The Wave Dancer." Its motto is to "build bridges of friendship across the oceans."

  • Global Voyage: Tarangini embarked on its first circumnavigation of the globe in 2003–04 under the theme, "Building Bridges of Friendship." That 15-month journey covered 33,000 nautical miles (61,000 km) and visited 36 ports in 18 countries.

Life on Board

We crossed the small gangway connecting the ship to the shore and were greeted by Indian Navy officers. Photos detailing the ship's history and journeys were on display.

The ship is only 54 meters long, and as we walked its decks, we could feel a slight sway with the movement of the water. The officers were incredibly informative, patiently explaining the ship's operations and answering all our questions. We even saw the galley where meals were being prepared.

Tarangini is designed to operate using both wind power (sails) and engine power. At the time, the sails on the three tall masts were furled (rolled up).

We toured the ship, eventually reaching the Captain's cabin on the upper deck, where we saw the Captain briefing the Indian Consul General. We took in the views from the open top deck before descending.

Souvenirs and Farewell

A small counter on the ship was dedicated to selling various souvenirs to visitors: fridge stickers with the ship's photo, t-shirts, mugs, and spice kits. As a memento of the voyage and for my collection, I purchased a two-dimensional wooden model of the ship. We even met a Malayali officer serving onboard.

After disembarking, we took a few final photos of the ship from the dockside. Saying goodbye to the vessel that offered us a new perspective and new experiences, we boarded the bus. After a long ride back through the maze of the seaport, we finally exited the gate and returned to the hustle of our daily work routine.

It was an inspiring encounter with a vessel that truly lives up to its mission of sailing the world with friendship.

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