Kettuvallam is a houseboat widely used in the Indian state of Kerala. These have thatched roof covers over wooden hulls. [1] The traditional kettuvallam is mainly used for promoting Kerala tourism. [2] [ failed verification ]
Kettuvallam is a houseboat widely used in the Indian state of Kerala. These have thatched roof covers over wooden hulls. [1] The traditional kettuvallam is mainly used for promoting Kerala tourism. [2] [ failed verification ]
The history of such boats in Kerala goes back to Uru , a large Dhow-type wooden ship made by the carpenters in Beypore, south of Kozhikode port. T [3] The teak was taken from Nilambur teak forests in earlier times, but now imported Malaysian teak is used. [4]
Boats in a variety of shapes and sizes have traditionally been the main means of transport of men and materials in the Kerala backwaters since olden days. [1] [5] For the royalty these boats even became comfortable living quarters. [1]
A kettuvallam is about 100 feet in length and has a width of around 13 feet in the middle. The materials that go into the making are local and ecofriendly; bamboo poles, coconut fibre, ropes, bamboo mats, carpets etc. The main wood used is "Anjili" (Artocarpus hirsuta). There are houseboats with fully furnished single room, double room and triple rooms.
The hull is a series of wooden planks, long cut and carved, tied together using coir with coconut fibers stuffed in between. [6] The kettuvallam is motorised and is steered in deep waters by means of oars. Long bamboo poles or 'punts' are used to propel in shallow areas. Bamboo beams sprouting off on the sides are used as footholds for the same. Bamboo is used for the framework of the roof and splits of bamboo are used for weaving mat for roofing.
Basically the kettuvallam was designed to transport cargo and as such many design changes had to be made to make it a tourist vehicle. The height of the roof was increased to get sufficient headroom. A plank was laid all through the length for ease of walking and comfortable seating, to reduce the disadvantages of the curved shape of the hull. Windows and other openings were provided for light, airflow and view. The entrance is provided in the centre of the linear axis with a top hung panel.
Most of the latest designs have incorporated three bedrooms with toilets, a living space and kitchen. Of course, there are variations. Some have a lesser number of bedrooms but with a large living space and maybe a deck balcony at the roof level. Normally, the platforms that cantilever from the hull are used as balconies. Innovative changes have been made to accommodate modern fittings. For fixing the toilet seats, shower tray and ceramic floor finish a concrete slab is laid at the floor level. These toilettes are made of steel cabinets with a network of steel meshes on which beneficial bacteria are grown with the help of a catalyst named actizyme. These bacteria feed upon human excreta and produce a harmless germ free colourless byproduct. The soil outlets of the toilet seats are taken through the hull and let out to the flowing water beneath. The use of bio-toilette is common nowadays. Thus the backwater canals are not polluted. The water for use is stored in a plastic tank kept at the top portion of the main body connecting to the kitchen and toilets. The pipes, tank and other synthetic materials are covered with coir or panambu to maintain the aesthetic quality of the eco-friendly materials.
Kerala was placed among the `50 destinations of a lifetime' by National Geographic Traveler in a special collectors' issue released just before the turn of the millennium. [7]
The Hindu wrote, "A cruise along the mirror-still lagoons, picture-book lakeside, palm-fringed canals and shimmering rivulets of `God's Own Country' is the most enchanting holidaying experience in the country. With a cruise along the palm-fringed waterways turning to be part and parcel of holidayers' itinerary, the traditional kettuvallam has emerged as the mascot of Kerala Tourism." [2]
More than 900 kettuvallams ply the backwaters and there are various routes which are popular among the tourists. [8]
Tour operators had been coming out with innovative options. The Kannur District Tourism Council has launched a `Nadi Darshan' (river viewing) programme in association with a private resort at Kattampalli as an initiative to popularise the kettuvallam for tourism promotion and as effort to let people know more about the Valapattanam River, one of the largest rivers in the region and the life stream of the district. [9]
A seafood eatery has been opened in a kettuvallam on Kaloor- Kadvanthra Road. [10]
Alappuzha district, is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala. It was formed as Alleppey district on 17 August 1957, the name of the district being changed to Alappuzha in 1990, and is the smallest district of Kerala. Alleppey town, the district headquarters, was renamed Alappuzha in 2012, even though the anglicised name is still commonly used to describe the town as well as the district.
A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a home. Some houseboats are not motorized, because they are usually moored, kept stationary at a fixed point and often tethered to land to provide utilities. However, many are capable of operation under their own power. Float house is a Canadian and American term for a house on a float (raft); a rough house may be called a shanty boat. In Western countries, houseboats tend to be either owned privately or rented out to holiday-goers, and on some canals in Europe, people dwell in houseboats all year round. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, Amsterdam, London, and Paris.
Kumarakom is a popular tourism destination located near the city of Kottayam, in Kerala, India, famous for its backwater tourism. It is set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in the state of Kerala.
The Kerala backwaters are a network of brackish lagoons and canals lying parallel to the Arabian Sea of the Malabar coast of Kerala state in south-western India. It also includes interconnected lakes, rivers, and inlets, a labyrinthine system formed by more than 900 km (560 mi) of waterways, and sometimes compared to bayous. The network includes five large lakes linked by canals, both man made and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually half the length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range. In the midst of this landscape there are a number of towns and cities, which serve as the starting and end points of backwater cruises. There are 34 backwaters in Kerala. Out of it, 27 are located either closer to Arabian Sea or parallel to the sea. The remaining 7 are inland navigation routes.
Vembanad is the longest lake in India, as well as the largest lake in the state of Kerala. With an area of 230 square kilometers and a maximum length of 96.5 km. Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as Vembanadu Lake in Kottayam, Vaikom, Changanassery, Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha, Punnappra, Kuttanadu and Kochi Lake in Kochi. Several groups of small islands including Vypin, Mulavukad, Maradu, Udayamperoor, Vallarpadam, Willingdon Island are located in the Kochi Lake portion. Kochi Port is built around the Willingdon Island and the Vallarpadam island.
Ashtamudi Lake, in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala, is the most visited backwater and lake in the state. It possesses a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped water body, second only in size to the Vembanad estuary ecosystem of the state. Ashtamudi means 'eight braids' in the local Malayalam language. The name is indicative of the lake's topography with its multiple branches. The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is well known for its houseboat and backwater resorts. Ashtamudi Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.
Kollam district, is one of 14 districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major Laccadive Sea seaport and an inland lake. The district has many water bodies. Kallada River is one among them, and the east side land of river is East Kallada and the west side land is West Kallada.
Beypore or Beypur is an ancient port town and a locality town in Kozhikode district in the state of Kerala, India. It is located opposite to Chaliyam, the estuary where the river Chaliyar empties into Arabian Sea. Beypore is part of Kozhikode Municipal Corporation. The place was formerly known as Vaypura / Vadaparappanad and also as Beydary. Tippu Sultan, ruler of Mysore, named the town "Sultan Pattanam". There is a marina and a beach while Beypore port is one of the oldest ports in Kerala, which historically traded with the Middle East. Beypore is noted for building wooden ships, known as dhows or urus in the Malayalam language. These ships were usually bought by Arab merchants for trading and fishing but are now used as tourist ships. According to Captain Iwata, founder member of the Association of Sumerian ships in Japan, Sumerian ships might have been built in Beypore. There is evidence to prove that Beypore had direct trade links with Mesopotamia and was a prominent link on the maritime silk route. The first railway line of Kerala was laid in 1861 from Tirur to Beypore (Chaliyam) passing through Tanur, Parappanangadi, Vallikkunnu, and Kadalundi.
Munroe Island or Mundrothuruthu is an inland island group located at the confluence of Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River, in Kollam district, Kerala, South India. It is a group of eight small islets comprising a total area of about 13.4 km2. The island, accessible by road, rail and inland water navigation, is about 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Kollam by road, 38 kilometres (24 mi) north from Paravur, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west from Kundara and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Karunagapally. As of the 2011 Indian census, the administrative village of Mundrothuruth has a total population of 9599, consisting of 4636 males and 4963 females. This island is also known as "Sinking Island of Kerala"
Alappuzha or Alleppey is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in state of Kerala, India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in India which attracts millions of domestic and international tourists.
Kerala, a state situated on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Named as one of the ten paradises of the world by National Geographic Traveler, Kerala is famous especially for its ecotourism initiatives and beautiful backwaters. Its unique culture and traditions, coupled with its varied demography, have made Kerala one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Growing at a rate of 13.31%, the tourism industry is a major contributor to the state's economy.
Kerala State Water Transport Department (SWTD) is a governmental department that regulates the inland navigation systems in the Indian state of Kerala and provides inland water transport facilities. It stands for catering to the traffic needs of the inhabitants of the waterlogged areas of the Districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam, Kollam, Ernakulam, Kannur and Kasaragod. The department is headed by the State Minister in charge of transportation.
Champakulam is a village in Kerala, India. It is in Alappuzha district. Champakulam is part of Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, and is resplendent in green paddy fields, coconut groves and water fowl. Champakulam is an important tourist spot and is famous for the Moolam boat race. The river Pampa flows through the village, splitting it into two. It is connected by road to Alappuzha, Changanassery and Edathua.
Cherukunnu is a census town in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. Cherukunnu town is located on Valapattanam-Pappinisseri-Pazhayangadi main road, situated to the south of the Pazhayangadi in Kannur District of North Malabar region in Kerala.
The West Coast Canal or National Waterway No 3 is a 205-km stretch of this inland navigational route located in Kerala, India and runs from Kollam to Kottapuram and was declared a National Waterway in 1993. In addition to the main stretch, Champakara and Udyogmandal canals are navigable and connect the industrial centers of Kochi to Kochi port Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Shipping is coordinating the task for developing, monitoring and administering national waterways. It is the first National Waterway in the country with 24-hour navigation facilities along the entire stretch. It has been extended to Kozhikode as per National Waterways Act, 2016. The National Waterway 3 is passing mainly through the alignment of erstwhile Thiruvananthapuram–Shoranur canal.
Khalasis are skilled natives engaged in constructing handmade seagoing Uru boats at Beypore port town of Kerala, India. Since majority of them are traditional Mappila Muslims, they are also called Mappila Khalasis. They also draw Urus ashore for repair and maintenance. Khalasi in Arabic means dockyard worker, sailor, or lascar.
Babu Varghese helped to make the South Indian state of Kerala, and in particular the image of houseboats on the Kerala backwaters, a notable tourist destination.
Muttukadu boat house is a water sport facility on the East Coast Road at Muttukadu, Chennai City, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, India, offering rowing, wind surfing, water skiing, and speedboat riding. It is a backwater area of the Bay of Bengal located 36 km (22 mi) from the city centre and 23 km (14 mi) from Adyar on the way to Mamallapuram. The boat house was inaugurated in 1984 and has 15 row boats, 27 speedboats and 9 pedal boats, besides two high-speed aqua scooters. The water depth varies between 3 ft and 6 ft. It is owned and operated by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC). The boating spot receives more than 4,000 visitors every weekend.
Asramam Adventure Park is an urban park in the core Kollam city of Kerala state. It was opened after 1980, on 48 acres (19 ha) of city-owned land. Located beside the Kerala's pride, backwaters of Ashtamudi, this place popularly known as Asramam Picnic Village. It is the main centre of recreational activities in Kollam city. The Kollam District Tourism Promotion Council conducts regular backwater cruises in houseboats, luxury boats and speedboats from the Boat Club. The mangroves near this park is very famous in all over India. So many endangered species of trees are surviving in the park.
Waterways have always been an important mode of transport in Kerala. The total length of navigable route in Kerala was 1,900 kilometres and the navigable rivers constitute about 54 per cent of the waterways. The 41 West-flowing rivers together with the backwaters are an integrated part of the inland navigation system in Kerala. In Kerala water transportation through these channels are mainly small distant passenger services, informal country boats, freight transportation to PSU's such as Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore, Kochi etc.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
| Rivers |
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakes, dams and reservoirs | |||||
| Waterfalls | |||||
| Beaches | |||||
| Boats |
| ||||
| Related topics | |||||
| Hydrography of surrounding areas | |||||
