The emergence of Shikara boats in Alleppey (Alappuzha) represents a fascinating, highly successful chapter of cross-cultural adaptation in Indian tourism history. Unlike the massive Kettuvallam (houseboat), which is completely native to the ancient maritime traditions of Kerala, the Shikara is a historical hybrid.
​By blending the structural agility of South Indian country canoes with the design aesthetics of North Indian lake craft, the Alleppey Shikara emerged in the late 2000s to solve a major economic and geographical challenge in backwater tourism.