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.

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.