The
houseboats of today - huge, slow moving, exotic barge used
for leisure trips - are the reworked kettuvalloms of olden
times. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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. 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?
<<<.....Back to Top.....>>>
.jpg)
.jpg)
