None less than the National Geographic Travelers
have acclaimed Kashmir as one of the must-see paradises of the world.
This narrow strip of land, blessed with abundant greenery,
With innumerable attractions on hand - serene lakes,
beckoning hill stations, exotic adventures, colorful
festivals,, amazing heritage, tantalizing cuisine .
you name it, she has it. Not for nothing is Kashmir
one of the most sought-after destinations of the world.
By the memory lane, first Kolu House Boat was
built in the year 1940 and ever since then we are
pleased to be at your service. The name of our first
house boat was Shellanne which was built by Mohammad
Kolu in the year1940.Later on,in the year 1944, two
more houseboats came in to operations which were
supposed to be the very first special class houseboats
in Dal Lake.
These two special class house boats were built
by a joint venture of four Kolu brothers and
they were named as Shabash and New Shellanne
respectively. The four brother's joint venture
consisted of Ahmed Kolu, Jumma Kolu, Ghulam
Qudir Kolu and Mohammad Ramzan Kolu.
It was in the year 1962, the very first Deluxe Luxury
House boat was built in Dal lake which was named as
Pride Of Kashmir which earned a lot of fame and is
still a pride to the owners.
Kolu group of house boat is an epitome of the family bond
and as a result the management through the years are been
taken over by the following generations. At present we are
proud of announcing the largest number of deluxe luxury
house boats in Kashmir. The entire management is taken
care of by the management of Kolu brother which is leaded
by Nazir Ahmed Kolu and brothers.
History of Houseboats
Houseboats were large barges used to carry goods. Traditionally, the houseboats
were called Kettuvallams, which means a boat made by trying together pieces of
wood. It is made of wood planks and coir rope and then coated with black resin
made from boiled cashew nuts shells.
Houseboats of Kashmir are converted shikaras. Each houseboat is constructed
using the ancient principles and techniques of boat building by the local
carpenters using Anjali wood. Coir ropes are used for tying the wooden boards
together. In the past shikaras were the major method of cargo transportation in
the Kashmir.
Houseboats are olden day rice boats, which were used to carry the harvest from
one part of the other place to go safely as eco friendly, no mechanized,
centuries Shikaras have been roaming in the backwaters transporting men and
materials to different destinations. Due to its sheer size and shape, Shikaras
can carry heavy load. It was the important mode of transportation in Kashmir
just because of its accessibility to the most remote areas. As time passed, the
scene changed gradually. Motorized road, rail and air transportation scored over
the slow and staid country boat, with people opting for speed over charm. During
the time when road and rail transportation was expensive or unavailable, traders
used this as a form of main transportation in the inland waterways. The boats
had enough facilities for cooking and sleeping for the boatmen.
The Houseboats were also used for general transport purposes, primarily in the
Travancore and Kochi regions. They were punted across the backwaters to the sea
where the goods were offloaded. A trip from the Kuttanad to Cochin port was
about three days of travel. A traditional boat might carry as much as 30 tons of
goods which is the equivalent of three modern lorries. With the backwater area
of Kerala so waterlogged, other forms of transport were both inefficient and
difficult.
A houseboat is on an average 70 - 135 feet long boats with 15 - 22 feet width in
the central section. They are made from wooden planks that are stitched together
by coconut ropes. Interestingly, nails are not used at all in the construction
of the Houseboats. Most of the houseboats are made from a wood known by the name
of Anjili. Palm leaves tied over bamboo poles form the roof of these houseboats.
Cashew Nut oil is used as a varnish to ensure a protection for the houseboats.
A holiday in one of Srinagar's
hand-carved houseboats, moored on the lakeside against a dramatic backdrop of
snow-capped Himalayan peaks, has long been regarded as a must-see essential of
any Indian holiday. Its popularity soared after Monty Python star Michael Palin
visited the houseboat where Ravi Shankar taught Beatle George Harrison to play
the sitar for a BBC travel series.Throughout years of heavy fighting
in Kashmir's militant insurgency, tourists have still flocked to Dal Lake to
stay in a piece of living colonial history – many have wooden porches where
guests can relax while gazing at breathtaking mountain vistas and listening to
the calls of the fruit and vegetable-sellers from their floating 'shikara'
shops, Kolu Group of Houseboats Welcomes you to Luxury Furnished Floating Villas
in Kashmir.