Kettuvallam
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Kettuvallam is a kind of house boat in Kerala, India. Kettuvallam literally means "bundle" or "package" boat (Kettu means tied with ropes, and vallam means boat - Malayalam language).
A house boat is about 60 to 70 feet in length and has a width of around 15 feet in the middle. The boat is made of wooden planks joined and stiched together using coconut fiber ropes. Usually the wood used will be 'Anjili', The roof covering is made of bamboo poles and palm leaves. The outside of the boat is painted using cashew nut oil, which acts as a protective coating.
History
During the time when road and rail transportation was expensive or unavailable, traders used this as a form of main transportation in the inland waterways. The boats had enough facilities for cooking and sleeping for the boatmen. Sometimes boatmen's families also accompanied them.
These boatmen were also famous for the folk songs they sang while rowing the boat and for their style of cooking which they developed for the conditions inside the boat.
Tourism
Nowdays, they are mainly used as houseboats for Kerala's ecotourism industry. Connected by artificial canals, the backwaters form an economical means of transit, and a large local trade is carried on by inland navigation. Fishing and fishcuring is an important industry. Kettuvallam in the backwaters are one of the best tourist attractions in Kerala.
See also
- Houseboat
- Vallam Kali - Boat race
- Kerala Backwaters
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