indigenous snake boat palliyodam construction Kerala sanjeev shankar

The snake boat project investigates the traditional boat (palliyodam) building process in Kerala, India. The investigation aims to critically understand and optimize a method of creation, which celebrates instinct, collective intelligence, local materials and remarkable skill of the hand. In the video above, the pressure points of an approximately 200 feet long boat made from solid 'anjali' or Artocarpus Hirsutus wood are being sealed. The remarkable synchronicity, precision and coordination between the two craftsmen is testimony to the immense value of traditional knowledge. By integrating such systems with developments in science and technology, the research aims to develop a new material and structural system.