Kerala House Boats-Photographed from Cochin

Interested in Houseboats?, The renowned Kerala Backwater houseboats. Was just walking through the lanes of Marine drive of cochin and this House Boat caught in my eyes, and no second thought, the digital cam eyes were allowed to blink on it..You know the south indian State Kerala is blessed with Backwaters and lagoons, mainly the Vembanad lake the biggest in the state and the Ashtamudy lake the second biggest one.

The state of kerala is blessed with much water bodies like backwaters and rivers..No wonder from the olden times boats like these are used for both transportation and more to that as Goods Carriers..In the local language of Kerala- Malayalam, these types of boats are termed as KettuValloms- means boat made of Knots..

In district of Alappuzha inland waterways contributes most for the transportation and certain areas are only accessible through water, and the place is called Venice of the east..

Awaiting you! go and take a ride..

The House Boat seen in the backwaters of Cochin..A tourist Carrier.Not man driven as traditional ones, but Motorized..

These boats were nearly at the verge of extinction when motorized metal made ones came for carrying the goods, but resurrected when tourism in backwaters of Kerala started depending them for inland navigation through the backwaters..The peculiarity of boats like this is they are completely made of natural materials like, bamboo, jack wood planks,canes,arecanut tree wood etc.Coir made carpets are used over the wooden decks as needed..

Manmade but everything from Nature..A small model of traditional houseboat of Kerala..

Kettu Valloms which are remodeled like this to House Boats can last for generations if they are built by men with expertise in the field and is maintained properly. their are more than 100s of these moving around in the backwaters of kerala, in Kottayam, Alappuzha and Kollam districts..Many star hotels have their own house boats which are furnished like a 5star suite with all the modern amenities. Along with the local cuisines tourist are served with fresh fish caught from the lakes during journeys.

You know what, not a single nail is used in the making of real houseboats, instead the jack wooden planks are tied together with coir ropes, and smeared with black resins made of cashew nut kernels..Long before these boats were used to transport Rice and Spices from the inner districts of kerala to the Cochin port.. A single one was capable of carrying about 100 tonnes of goods to the port..When modern boats replaced them things evolved from Goods carrier to Tourist carriers, now a real deal of revenue to the State.

I have just given a model of houseboats in this post..the real one can be much bigger and beautiful..Their are more than one houseboats joined together to become a boat train in some places..Moving around in these houseboats through the backwaters will be a charming experience..If you ever happen to be here in Kerala don't miss the chance to have a boat Journey through the backwaters.

Cu around

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