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KERALA
ATTRACTIONS -HOUSE BOATS |
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Have
you ever gone houseboat cruising
on the backwaters of Kerala? If
you haven’t, make sure you
do. This one’s really an absolutely
wonderful, unforgettable experience!
The houseboats of today - huge,
slow moving, exotic barge used for
leisure trips - are the reworked
kettuvalloms of olden times. |
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The original kettuvalloms were
used to carry tonnes of rice and
spices - a standard kettuvallom
can hold up to 30 tonnes - from
Kuttanad to the Kochi port.
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The
kettuvallam or ‘boat with
knots’- was so called because
the entire boat was held together
with coir knots only - not even
a single nail is used during the
construction. The boat is made
of planks of jack-wood joined
together with coir. This is then
coated with a caustic black resin
made from boiled cashew kernels.
With careful maintenance, a kettuvallom
can last for generations.
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A portion of the kettuvallom
was covered with bamboo
and coir to serve as a restroom
and kitchen for the crew.
Meals would be cooked on
board and supplemented with
fresh fish from the backwaters.
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Today,
the tradition is still continued
and the food from the local cuisine
is served by the Kuttanad localites,
on board.When the modern trucks
replaced this system of transport,
some one found a new way that would
keep these boats, almost all of
which were more than 100 years old,
in the market. By constructing special
rooms to accommodate travelers,
these boats cruised forward from
near- extinction to enjoy their
present great popularity.
Now these are a familiar sight on
the backwaters and in Alleppey alone,
there are as many as 120 houseboats.
While converting kettuvallams into
houseboats, care is taken to use
only natural products. Bamboo mats,
sticks and wood of the aracanut
tree are used for roofing, coir
mats and wooden planks for the flooring
and wood of coconut trees and coir
for beds. For lighting though, solar
panels are used. |
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Today, the houseboats have
all the creature comforts
of a good hotel including
furnished bedrooms, modern
toilets, cozy living rooms,
a kitchen and even a balcony
for angling. Parts of the
curved roof of wood or plaited
palm open out to provide
shade and allow uninterrupted
views.
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While most boats
are poled by local oarsmen, some
are powered by a 40 HP engine. Boat-trains
- formed by joining two or more
houseboats together - are also used
by large groups of sight-seers.
What is truly magical
about a houseboat ride is the breathtaking
view of the untouched and otherwise
inaccessible rural Kerala that it
offers - while you float! Now, wouldn’t
that be something?
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