PERFECT HOMES MAGAZINE - Issue 13 Issue 13 | Page 152

INDIA M any rivers in India have communities where houseboats are a person’s primary dwelling. Dal Lake in Srinagar, located in the Kashmir region of India, is well known for houseboat trips, while dwellings in the state of Kerala are typically moored. The  houseboats  used on the tranquil  backwaters of Kerala, are innovative adaptations of the traditional cargo carriers typically they are 60 - 70 feet long and around 15 feet wide at the centre part. The body of the boat is made of wooden planks fastened by coconut fibre ropes. The roof is usually made of palm leaves on top of bamboo shafts. Cashew and nut oils are used to protect the houseboat’s exteriors. 152 THE ESSENTIAL COSTA DEL SOL WEBSITE - www.simplymedia-group.com