DHOONGAS

-KHASHMIR

THAMANNA JAHAN AND MALAVIKA SOMAN

S3
 KASHMIR
Northern boundary of India

The historical evidences of neolithic

settlements in Burzahama confirm that human
life in the Kashmir valley had settled very close
to water indicating that the earliest inhabited
areas in Kashmir were close to the world
famous Dal Lake.

Climate:
Area =105 sq kms
Altitude =1,730 m.
Temperature ,Max Min
Summer =29.5 C 10.6 C
Winter =7.3 C -1.9 C
Rainfall =52.9 cms
Population =930136 (2001 Census)
Best Season Throughout the year, though the
winter months can be quite cold.
 ORIGIN OF DOONGA
• The houseboats are used mainly by:

1. The Dogra royal family of Kashmir were certainly

not going to allow British civil servants to take up
homes in Srinagar. Nor would they allow any
outsiders to buy land, either for offices or
sanitoria. Casting around for a place to stay,
tourists and officials from British India chanced on
Srinagar’s common doonga boats and started
converting them to the floating comfort palaces.
4. Surrounding mountains rose
2. The earlier settlers were fishermen and hence around the banks of this
there dwelling on the rivers was only logical and freshwater vastness, leaving
practical. Their boats which were covered by little or no level terrain for
thatch roofs, were converted into the Doonga habitation.
boats over passage of time. Scarcity of level terrain In the
vale compelled a large section
3. They were later also used by the great Mughal of kashmiri society to live on
kings for excursions. water than on land.
 TYPES OF BOAT
Boats in kashmir are of various kinds
. Each designed for varying velocities with a specific function
assigned to them.

They are made of deodar wood are mostly built in srinagar

Among the different boats bahat is the largest

It is used for transportation of grain, hay and other merchantise.

Khuch is very large boat used for the same purpose.

The shikara or pleasure boat is similarly proportioned to doonga,

or dwelling boat.

But it is smaller in size.

The smallest, lightest and swiftest of all kashmiri boats is the
tsatawar.

It is able to withstand the most violent windstorms which occur

frequently in kashmiri water courses.
 CONSTRUCTION
Boat building in kashmir is an ancient craft
passed on from one generation of master
craftsman to the next .

The craftsman themselves would go for

selecting suitable deodar tree.

After selection they would split the entire

tree in halves length ways with an axe.

These halves were then trimmed to a

requisite thickness and hauled behind the
boat for several miles on water course,
before being left in the river or lake for two
to three years to season.
 CONSTRUCTION
Tree trunks of 20m in length were used to
construct the sides of boat.

Another three to four deodar trees would be

needed for flooring and finishes on the floating
base.

The fabrication of boats was generally carried

out on a dry flat piece of ground.

When the base of boat is ready and a float, the

cabin of doonga boat is built on stern part with
a roof of matting, wooden shingles or match.

Period of utility - 4oyears.

After that it is systematically dismantled and,

the condition of the planks permitting, a
smaller boat is crafted from the length of
timber.
PLAN AND ELEVATION
 DOONGA BOAT
 Long, flat bottomed craft usually 55ft in length and 6ft
in width.

 It is usually covered for more than half its length by a

light wooden roof about 1.7m (55ft) high.

 And the roof is sloping with a ridge in the middle.

RIDGE
 Downstream it is propelled by short heart-shaped
paddle. ROOF

 Upstream is drawn along the bank by a long to

wingline.

Elevation & Plan of single deck doonga boat

 DOONGA BOAT
 The interior is divided by pine planks.

 Their placement is determined by

size of family.

 The front triangular space(nam) on

the deck is used as entrance.

 The rear is used as wash space by

residents.

 In the case of double storied doonga,

the wooden ladder to the upper
deck is from inside the room.
 EXAMPLE :
DAL LAKE HOUSEBOATS
The Dal Lake Houseboats are widely associated
with Srinagar and are nicknamed "floating
palaces", built according to British custom The main material used for
construction is timber. They are well
furnished and provides the user with all
the facilities of a house.
 DETAILS
•This houseboat is generally made from local cedar-
wood and measure 24–38 metres (79–125 ft) in
length and 3–6 metres (9.8–20 ft) in width and are
graded in a similar fashion to hotels according to level
of comfort.
• Many of them have lavishly furnished rooms, with
verandas and a terrace to serve as a sun-deck or to
serve evening cocktails.
•They are anchored individually, with interconnecting
bridges providing access from one boat to the other.
•The kitchen-boat is annexed to the main houseboat,
which also serves as residence of the boat keeper and
his family
•Virtually every houseboat in Srinagar has been
provided with a municipal water connection
INTERIOR:
INTERIOR: