Get Ready to Sail | Kerala Calling | Explore the Unique Boats of Kerala | Kerala Tourism

Boats may have been the first inventions of humans who had to fight nature in order to survive. In a land as rich in water bodies as Kerala, it was never possible to move from place to place without crossing rivers. The story of the boats of Kerala. The boats of each region were created to suit the needs of the residents and made out of the raw materials available there. The canoes of the high ranges of Idukki have perhaps not changed since they were first made. They are carved out of single logs of wood and are mostly used in fishing. In places like Alapuram and Kottayam in central Kerala, which boast of a range of water bodies, from small canals to big rivers, a wide variety of boats are in use. They come in all sizes, from the tiniest canoe for a single rower to huge houseboats. Here, where water transport is the chief means of reaching places, there are canoes and boats to serve all requirements of life. Boats are indispensable in ferrying people and transporting cargo. With the onset of mechanization, motorboats as well as country boats fitted with engines became very common. When tourism became popular, the Shikara boat became a prominent member of the small boat club. Speed boats were used for tourism and patrolling. K. Tuvalams, the unique handcrafted houseboats of Kerala, were soon replaced by fiber boats. The growing popularity of tourism gave a fresh lease of life to houseboats. They became bigger, were fitted with all amenities and luxuries and became mobile houses. When the coracles used by people during fishing in the border areas of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu came to Kerala, they became a rage among tourists. The beauty of these circular boats made from elephant bamboo is inimitable. Boats are a common sight in river-rich Kerala. With more and more bridges being constructed, junkers, huge open boats that ferry boat people and vehicles have been virtually edged out of The seaworthy boats of Kerala were used for fishing in the deep seas. Today, those huge barges have been replaced either by motorboats or country boats retrofitted with engines. Among them are small boats and those that go fishing and can stay in the seas for days on There are catamarans too, made by fixing three or four logs of wood and preferred by individual fishermen who use either the traditional fishing line or the fishing net. The Uroos of Beppur and Kozhikode are world famous for the sheer craftsmanship they display. Used largely to transport cargo, they are made from forest trees. The Uroos of Kerala can be seen in various parts of the world today. Boats are a flamboyant presence in the myths, religions, pastimes and even the daily life of Kerala. The Thiruvonathoni, that is road to the famous Aranmula temple, is perhaps the most famous among them. It is ceremonially received by people of various localities in their own decked boats. The longest boats of Kerala are the famous Chundans seen in boat races. In the races, Chundan boats representing various regions are rowed by expert oarsmen to the rhythm set by on-board traditional musicians. They provide moments of nail-biting anxiety and boundless excitement to the oarsmen and spectators alike.