In Focus

The boat business

If a problem is not unique to a particular region, its solution shouldn't be either. So whether it is the Venetian water canals or the Kerala backwaters, the mode of transport over these waters remains more or less the same. Equally fascinating are their evolutionary stories that run parallel to each other, even though chronologically they may not be so.

Despite many characters then, this is a single story of how boats that were fundamentally invented to be used as public transport, evolved to become major contributors to the region's tourism industry, which in most cases was and still is the backbone of the country's economy.

Venetian gondolas

The gondolas, a traditional Venetian sculling boat, began by serving as the city's chief means of public transport during the 18th century because the city was only connected through canals. They still serve as public transport over major canals.

It is estimated that there were initially several thousand gondolas, but only a few hundred remain today. While most are hired by tourists, a few serve as ferries or are owned privately. The gondolas today are so famous the world over that they have become the trademark of Venice and synonymous with romance.

Kerala's kettuvalams

Originally called the 'kettuvalams' or the 'boats with knots', these barge-like structures seem to have appeared on the scene at approximately the same time as the gondolas. They were initially used to transport grain and spices, and gradually evolved to become a leisurely mode of transport.

The boats were made from huge planks of Jack wood, also called 'aanjili' and joined together with coir. Interestingly, during the entire process, not a single nail was used. The planks were then coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. The advent of road transport and the construction of bridges saw a decline in the significance and use of kettuvalams as an effective means to carry cargo.

By the mid-19th century, the sea receded and trading vessels soon began to call on Alleppey - a town founded in 1762 by Raja Kesavadasan, the King of Travancore. At that time, there was just one canal through the strip of sand between the backwaters and the sea. This soon grew into a bustling waterway with shops, factories and commercial establishments springing up on the banks of the canal, attracting merchants from various parts of the country as well as Europe and America.

Transporting goods, primarily spices, was a three-day affair because it happened between Kuttanad and Cochin. So to accommodate the boatmen for three days, the kettuvalams, with their bamboo roofing became temporary floating shelters. With the transition of kettuvalams to full-fledged houseboats, they became huge contributors to Kerala's tourism industry.

A standard houseboat, which could be about 100 feet long, could hold up to 30 tons, three times the amount a lorry can. The evolutionary process of transforming a kettuvalam into a luxury houseboat took years, but eventually went on to become one of the most coveted means of generating tourism in the state. Soon, houseboat owners began to receive requests from tourists to convert the boats into floating resorts. That was when boat owners began to experiment with recreating the interiors of the houseboats to give them a plush feel.

Today, houseboats have evolved remarkably in terms of design, services and entertainment. Alleppey is the cradle of the houseboat business in Kerala. There are some 50 houseboats being constructed every year, all well-maintained and offering high-end luxury accommodation.

Houseboats of J&K

Houseboats in Jammu and Kashmir were invented during the British rule as a solution to a mucky political problem. The British were greatly impressed with Kashmir but the maharaja wouldn't permit them to buy land to build houses on. His philosophy was that no 'alien' could buy immovable property in Kashmir.

To counter this declaration, the British had houseboats built on the Dal Lake and their style has hardly changed from the time the first boat was made in 1888. The earliest houseboats were built of seasoned cedar and while small and highly mobile, unlike their counterparts in Kerala, are today usually stationary. They are usually moored at the edges of the Dal and Nageen lakes.

Some of the houseboats here have been built in the early 1900s, and are still being rented out to tourists. With their intricately carved wood panelling, the houseboats are of different sizes, some having up to three bedrooms apart from a living room and kitchen. Like a luxury hotel, the boats come in different sizes, categories and their locations differ as well. The lowest is the 'D' category and like low-budget hotels, are spartanly furnished. Some overlook the main road, others, gardens or local villages and markets, all from the centre of the lake. Interestingly, all houseboats, regardless of their category, offer personalised services in the form of a 'houseboy'.

Private players

The Pulickattil Tourism group, a houseboat company in Kochi, pioneered backwater tourism under the chairmanship of Thomas Pulickattil with its innovations in the creation of state-of the-art houseboats, many of which are the first-of-its-kind in India. The group has been making significant contributions to the growth and development of the tourism sector in Kerala. Pulickattil owns a fleet of 12 houseboats, including the country's first two floating convention vessels.

At a time when business magnates and heads of departments were seeking to hold their conferences and business discussions in an eco-friendly environment, Pulickattil Tourism Group claims to have found the solution. A convention cruise called 'Palace on Waves' was launched that accommodated 150 delegates onboard in the palatial convention hall on the upper deck for conferencing and has five air-conditioned rooms in the lower deck. Called the 'Jalasamrat', this houseboat is claimed to be the first floating convention vessel in the country.

Ayurveda has always lured foreign tourists to God's Own Country. Five-star hotels and smaller players monopolised the business with their 'stationary' services. To offer something different, Pulickattil decided to dedicate an entire houseboat to the business of ayurveda where tourists can indulge themselves in ayurvedic massages delivered by Ayur masseurs. Says Geepy Nayar, advisor for Pulickattil Tourism Group, "Our houseboats take tourists to the fantastic world of self-oblivion. As with conventions, the idea caught on well because it offered the opportunity for complete seclusion. While spas and resorts also offered similar or even better ayurvedic packages, tourists were attracted to the rustic ambience and the feel of the traditional houseboats."

In a unique initiative to offer foreign tourists a different slice of India, a concept called 'poll' tourism was introduced by the company's managing director Pulickattil. Says Nayar, "A few tourists aboard our houseboats were extremely interested in election-related cultural programmes, bills and wall writings of various parties. In fact, they commented on the electoral process being more like a festival." This concept was initiated to display the festive atmosphere created by political parties by holding rallies, public meetings, campaign trails, and cultural programmes. Pulickattil now ferries travellers around briefing them about the entire electoral process and the package, organised since the general election of 2005 followed by the assembly elections of 2006, has gained in popularity.

The group then decided to tap another segment of tourism - the rising number of women travellers. While hotels these days have special provisions for its women guests, from exclusive rooms to female attending staff, none of the houseboats had any such facilities for women.

After numerous requests and enquiries from women guests as well as travel agents and organisations about all-women packages, Pulickattil launched India's first houseboat exclusively for women. Christened the 'Vanitha' houseboat, Pulickattil calls it 'the first houseboat for women, by women.' It was launched in May and is piloted by three women; one at the steering wheel, the second at the engine and the third as the chef. Pulickattil Tourism Group is now looking to launch a houseboat with a swimming pool and needless to say, this will be India's first such houseboat.