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Houseboats (
Kettuvalloms ) of Kerela
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The Houseboats of Kerala
are giant country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length,
retrieved from being lost to the State altogether. Once
they ruled the backwaters, poled along by one or two men,
heavily loaded with rice, coconut and other commodities.
But in the recent times, the kettuvalloms have been replaced
by more and modern modes of transport, relegating them to
neglect and decay.
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It takes great skill and
meticulousness to construct these giant Houseboats by tying
huge planks of jack wood together. Curiously enough, not
a single nail is used in their making of a houseboat.
There used to be an entire clan of artisans who were involved
in kettuvallom construction. Today, an innovative
holiday idea has restored these majestic representatives of a
unique culture and with them their makers.The Kerala
houseboats that cruise these emerald waterways are an
improvisation on the large country barges which were an
essential part of the land's ethos in days gone by.
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Modified to meet a novel concept of holidaying, the
kettuvalloms ( houseboats ) are comfortably furnished with an
open lounge, one or two bath attached bedrooms and a
kitchenette, and are extremely eco friendly, merging smoothly
into the panorama. Every houseboat is manned by a crew -
usually a cook, guide and oarsman. |
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