A kettuvallam traditional grain barge plying the Kerala Backwaters lined with dense tropical greenery Kerala South India


Kerala southern India was placed among the 50 destinations of a lifetime by National Geographic Traveler in a special collectors issue released just before the turn of the millennium The kettuvallams grain barges also converted to houseboats are a prominent tourist attraction in Kerala. More than 400 kettuvallams ply the backwaters over 900 km of waterways virtually half the length of Kerala state linked by canals fed by 38 backwaters form an economical means of transport a large local trade is carried on by inland navigation .Kettuvallams were traditionally used as grain barges to transport rice harvested in fertile fields alongside the backwaters Thatched roof covers over wooden hulls 100 feet 30 m in length provided protection from the elements


Size: 5120px × 3413px
Location: Kerala Backwaters, Malabar Coast, South India
Photo credit: © Ladi Kirn / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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