For centuries, trade flourished internationally through the seas. Conquering the mighty ocean has always been a challenge. This led to the creation of various kinds of shipping vessels that were designed to ensure a safe and smooth sail across the world’s oceans. Centuries back, in the Malabar Coast of South Asia, a peculiar kind of shipping vessel rose to popularity as a great choice to achieve this. The vessel was called “Uru” and it played a big part in the region’s maritime contributions.
History says that urus have been in demand for over 1500 years. These gigantic vessels were manufactured by expert craftsmen called “Khalasis”. These artisans are often referred to as the pioneers in the local shipbuilding industry and their urus were extremely popular. The first majour buyers of these vessels were the Arabs. The boats are made using several kinds of woods, especially teak.
Over 40 khalasis are involved in the manufacturing of one single uru and it takes at least 4 years for them to complete one single piece. Though a popular choice in the past, demand for urus have declined due to the arrival of more modern options. However, there are still shipyards in Beypore that are engaged in the manufacturing of urus that are ordered by certain Arab nations.
