Chundan Vallom (Snake Boat) Souvenirs

Base material: Wood

Category: Decorative items

Today our famous backwaters seem incomplete without the massive Chundan Valloms which first adorned these shores over a thousand years ago, carrying over 200 men and being immediately nicknamed as 'Snake Boats'. It was the unique shape that led to the Europeans calling them the same, and to this day, visuals of them majestically slithering through our waters makes for a riveting sight. In olden times, rulers would have giant entourages of these ships, each with their own set purpose, accompany them during most journeys.

The miniature versions are among the most loved souvenirs in all of God’s Own Country, with households, curio shops and handicrafts emporia boasting of a multitude of exquisite replicas. You can see them with varied decorations - sandalwood or ivory fittings, brass buttons etc. and are often modified as candle stands, pen stands, key holders etc. They are the perfect way to encapsulate memories of Kerala.