Houseboat Holiday - An Awesome Holiday experience..
The stitched boats of Kerala are the moving masterpieces of the majestic country crafts that may measure up to 80 feet in length. Usually the traditional houseboats are 60 to 70 feet high and 13 feet wide in the middle. These ‘kettuvallams’ are made up of eco-friendly materials like the bamboo poles, coconut fiber, ropes, bamboo mats, carpets etc. The entire structure is strong enough to carry a truckload of material and withstand the enormous waves in the sea. In case the houseboats are maintained well, they last for generations. Earlier these houseboats were used as the means of transport through the backwaters for men and material today they have become major tourist attractions.
After your tour to God’s Own Country even you will find the houseboats the true luxury on water. The simple looking houseboats are no less than the star categorized hotels. There are fleets of houseboats that offer most of the modern comforts and conveniences. These houseboats are fully furnished and well appointed with the option of single, double or triple bedrooms. Usually the structure also has ample space for toilets, kitchen, private balcony and the sun decks. For the budget tours the houseboats offer dormitories.
The Kettuvallam is a large floating structure with high load carrying capacity was a part of Kerala' s culture and heritage over the past years. The advent of road transport and motorization of waterways saw in steep decline in the significance of Kettuvallam as an effective carrier of bulk cargo.
The experience of the backwaters is heightened with the use of the traditional lanterns for lightening. The houseboat usually offers a small or two sitting rooms comfort for two members of the crew and the chef. The members of the crew comprise of the oarsmen and/or the guide. Many-a-times the houseboats are powered by a small engine. When onboard you may savor the traditional delicacies of Kerala. The cuisine is captivating owing to the local specialties in the menu. The food is generally fresh as the material is purchased on the way. The sights, sounds and smells add to make the backwater trip unforgettable. The colorful culture and customs, canopies of coconuts will always catch your eye. When these dazzling and delightful dwellings are afloat a whole rainbow of lives and styles seem to pass by. At spots shoals of ducks seem to greet you. the magic of the moonlight, The magic of the mystical backwaters will sweep you off your feet and the joy ride on the houseboat will add to the enchanting experience. The traditional houseboats attract travelers equally from India and abroad. There are several price options for you to take your pick from. There are over 250 houseboats that ply in the backwaters. For tourists the charges may be settled for anything between 500 and 6000 Indian rupees for a day. The entire experience on the backwaters is enchanting. You must opt for the fabulous ride on the houseboat and explore the fascinating beauty of the backwaters of Kerala.
Around six years ago an entrepreneur on the request of tourists remodeled the traditional Kettuvallam to suite the role of a tourist cruise boat. This gave an impetus to the resurgence of Kettuvallam and with further modifications these vessels were transformed into full-fledged house boats. The Kettuvallam was once an integral member of the fraternity of Kerala as an efficient cargo carrier. With a redefinition of its function these boats have carried which for themselves in the present and future of Kerala as a tourist house boat.
The floor defines a field of space with territorial boundaries. The curved lines provide the feeling of continuity for the space and the points of Aniyam and Amaram define the end of space. The floor creates a space below that is hidden completely from the view used as a place for water storage and balancing sandbags. The valapura, my cover provides an opaque plane marks off a portion of amorphous space and separates here from there and provides shelter for volume of space beneath it. Entering inside you sense shelter and enclosure. This perception is due to the architectural elements, the floor, and the cover that define the physical limits of the interior space.
Shape
The Valapura is always made symmetrical so that the self weight is equally distributed and joins at either edge of the hull. The hull again being exactly symmetrical helps itself balance on the water. The arched forms coming and joining to form an egg shaped shell in turn influence the dimensions, proportion and arrangement of interior spaces within the volume.
Lighting
Light and the patterns of light and darkness it creates can call our attention to one area of our room de-emphasize others and thereby create division of spaces.
At night the traditional hurricane lamp is used to lit the interiors. Usually each one is hung from the ridge of valapura one at front, one at rear and one or two accordingly for the living spaces. And mostly for half of a month there will be moonlight, which gives enough light, reflected on water.
Eco friendly materials
The materials used in the construction of Kettuvallam are organic in nature. Wood is used for the construction of the hull. It is renewable light and poor conductor of heat, sound and Coir is used as rope for tying various elements. It is of light coconut fibers, which is course, rough and hard. It is elastic and resistant to water.
Bamboo
It is used for the framework of the roof and splits are used for weaving mat for roofing. Bamboo poles are used for punting the Vallams. It is strong fibre and absorbs more carbon.
The Space
The spaces within a vallam can be arranged to suit man's functions. It is seen that the vallam began as a log of wood used for traveling over water, which underwent transformations through ages to suit various functions.
The Form
For old cargo vallams the roof was low and the circulation of light and air inside the vallam was less. The new forms have raised roofs with more opening allowing more air, which increases the comfort within the vallam. The feeling of the pure free flowing air bring the travelers close to the surrounding nature. The Kettuvallams has been so much a part of Kerala's culture and heritage for years. Although, it faced a period of decline with the advent of surface transport it has now come back to the scene as tourist attraction. It is a space adapted for the present, from the past to be used in the future and it plays a significant role in the social and economic aspects of the life of the people of Kerala.
