Kettuvallam- Houseboats in Kerala

• Kettuvallam are traditional boats of Kerala which are mainly used in the backwaters. In Malayalam, ‘kettu’ means ‘to tie’ and ‘vallam’ means ‘boat’ which refers to their construction method.
• Traditionally, it is made of wooden planks (wooden pieces/planks tied with coconut ropes/coir). Earlier these boats were used to transport rice, spices and other goods through the rivers and canals of Kerala.Now they have been converted into attractive houseboats for tourists which are a major attraction of Kerala tourism.

Features of Kettuvallam

• Material: Eco-friendly and locally sourced
• Wood: Anjili (Artocarpus hirsuta) or jackwood used for boat frame
• Coir ropes: For joining wooden frames without using nails
• Bamboo and palm leaves: For thatched roof and mats
• Cashew resin: For coating to make the boat durable
• Design: Long (60–100 ft), curved thatched boats with basket-like roofs. These roofs are called Valavara.
• Traditional craft: Built without a nail, these boats represent the sailing art of Kerala.
• Steering: In shallow waters, they are steered by a bamboo rudder called Kazhukol.
  • Operated by engines in deep water.

Historical and cultural importance

• Origin: Used mainly for rice and spice trade from Kuttanad to Kochi since around 3000 BC.In the absence of roads, these were the main means of transport in rural areas.
• Cultural role: Kings of Kerala used them as floating palaces.
• Use for tourism: In the 1990s, their commercial use decreased due to road and rail transport, but they started being used as houseboats in tourism.