A boat that serves as a place of residence is called a houseboat. In Tourism terminology, it is also called a boatel or floating hotel. These houseboats are moored in four locations in Kashmir wiz Dal Lake, Nageen Lake, River Jhelum, and Chinar Bagh
Its evolution in Kashmir traces back to the 18th century when the first Doonga boat was designed by a British army general. Since the concept was creative and useful, it got an overwhelming response through a massive imitation thereby promoting a huge growth and finally evolving into an industry of today with an approximate strength of 910 houseboats. These houseboats add about four thousand rooms to tourist accommodation in Kashmir. Initially, it used to be in the form of a Doonga (Mini Houseboat) much narrow and short in length than the present-day houseboats. The main scope of the Houseboat industry in Kashmir lies in its being a source of attraction for tourists.
Around the world, houseboats have become synonymous with an exotic and carefree lifestyle and therefore are now also synonymous with extravagant luxury. A houseboat stay has always been a fascinating experience for tourists and thereby turning out to be a unique selling proposition for the tourism industry in Kashmir. Many travel agencies offer first-class houseboat accommodation that even surpasses the price of their affluent residential counterparts.
During the British regime, Lodging boats were used for transportation purposes from the extreme end of North to South Kashmir through River Jhelum passing through the heart of Srinagar city. The earliest settlers in Kashmir lived on the summits of mountains used boats extensively for transportation. Finding the Indian plains intolerably hot in summer, the British too found the valley of Kashmir surrounded by snow-clad mountains as an ideal retreat. Though they wanted to build houses here but Maharaja did not allow them to constrict houses hence the option of a Houseboat was given to the Britishers. Houseboats however circumvented the Maharaja’s ban on foreign land ownership. General Denloff of the British army who got boarding-Doonga ‘’MERMAID’’ built for himself said to have been the first to make a sketch of a Houseboat containing wood walls, windows, and deck. However, Sir Francis Younghusband (1863-1942), a British army officer and explorer, in his memoirs mentions that the idea of a luxurious floating house was first conceived sometime in the year 1883 by the sport-loving Englishman M.T. KENNARD. In realizing his dream, Kennard was helped by a local Kashmiri Pandit Naraindas. The fifty feet long Doonga Boat named ‘’Victory’’ was completed in 1888. Finding the houseboat-making venture a profitable business, Narindas is said to have taken to houseboat building himself.
Close to the end of the 19th century, Kashmir was opening up to outsiders again and the outsiders, mostly European, were pouring into the valley and they needed a place to stay for their long holidays, buying a piece of land and building a house was out of the question, Maharaja Ranbir Singh would have none of it. No outsider could buy land in Kashmir. A couple of years later, even Vivekananda had to return empty-handed when he came looking for a place to set up his Ashram. With a restriction like this, the tourist business wasn’t going to take off.
After Doonga Boat, Doonga Houseboat with a terrace on the top was built. The terrace was built for sunbathing, for enjoying breakfast, and candlelight dinners were and are still being enjoyed on these Houseboats.
Role of Houseboat Owners.
Presently, we the Houseboat owners are not only the promoter of the tourism business but the master key for earning foreign exchange for the state’s economy. We Houseboat Owners are the real professionals and had the inherited genes to promote this business in the state. The Houseboat Owners have kept the tourism business alive and still are promoting.
Today we have very wide and long houseboats tastefully decorated with attached bathrooms, hot and cold water running and food supplied is as per the choice of the client in the Houseboat.
SAVE DAL, SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT, SAVE HOUSEBOATS, SAVE THE HERITAGE OF KASHMIR.
A HOUSEBOAT IS { A HOME FAR AWAY FROM HOME}. WHILE IN KASHMIR STAY IN A HOUSEBOAT TO ENJOY HOME-LIKE COMFORTS ALONG WITH FOOD AS PER THE CHOICE OF OUR VALUED CLIENTS.
