Kochi: Kerala's iconic Chundanvallom (snake boats) are getting a modern makeover in Chellanam, where fibre-reinforced variants are now ready to glide across the backwaters. Built with nearly 90% fibre, these boats mark a major shift from traditional wooden craftsmanship.

The innovation comes from John Mudavuri, a seasoned builder of fishing canoes, who has now completed his first two Chundanvalloms for a client in Kumarakom.

The most labour-intensive part of the process was creating the mould, crafted from wild jackfruit (anjili) wood and copper, a critical step before the fibre work could begin.

John and his team took three months to build the first boat after the mould was ready. With streamlined processes and the help of four workers, they managed to finish the second boat in just 40 days. Each fibre snake boat seats around 55 people and costs up to ₹10 lakh, with fibre alone accounting for about ₹4.5 lakh of the expense.

After completion, the boats were transported by road from Companypady to the Kannamali backwaters, and then towed by motorboats to their final destination in Kumarakom.