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Once the shipyard of wooden launches that were most sought after in the Gulf, Beypur in Kozhikode had lost its glory by the beginning of 1980s owing to labour unrest. The master craftsmen who used to design the launches and the master labourers or ‘Khalasis’ who used to gently push it to the sea were living in comparative anonymity all these years till the big order came from Dubai.

Bigger than the biggest launch fabricated in Beypur till now, the new order demanded a launch capable of carrying 1200 tons of goods.  Almost as large as a regular ship, and guaranteed to last much longer as it is made of wood, the vessel has deck, engine room, accommodation for crew, kitchen etc.  This lauch, which has the height of a 3-storied building, has been made under the leadership of Gokuldas of Edathumpadikkal, the family that has centuries old tradition of crafting launches.

The 170 ft long and 40 ft wide vessel is planned to be used for transporting camel, goats, food material etc from Dubai to countries like Somalia and Iraq.  While 50 to 60 craftsmen work under Gokuldas everyday, the ‘Khalasis’ or heavy-duty labourers act as helpers in moving heavy pieces of wood and in applying cotton cloth to the gaps between outer wooden sheets.  The capability of ‘Khalasis’ can be assessed from the incident after the train accident at Peruman, near Kollam.

While engineering experts with their modern equipments could not lift the derailed bogies from the lakebed, it was the ‘Khalasis’ who completed the job, using their traditional skills and relying on experience.

Many eager onlookers, including foreigners, come to watch the making of the giant launch.  A French TV channel had aired a special programme on the work.  The launch, which has been 2 years in the making and has already cost Rs.1.25 crore expenditure, is expected to be completed soon.

Courtesy: V.Venugopal, Sree, Malayala Manorama, February 20, 2005

Contributed by: Administrator 

"Necessity is the mother of invention."