Cashmere: Three Weeks in a Houseboat

This small book “Three Weeks in a Houseboat” as it was not actually a houseboat in the proper sense, but rather a dunga. For a period of three weeks, author resided in a dunga while in Cashmere. In Cashmere, there are various types of houseboats available, including some that can be favorably compared to the best ones found on the Thames, as well as simpler houseboats, dunga houseboats, and modest dungas. A dunga is essentially a large, decked in punt that is approximately 70 feet in length and 6 to 8 feet wide. It tapers considerably at either end, and on top of this structure sits a light wooden frame that is covered on the roof and sides with thick reed matting. While dungas may differ somewhat in their interior layouts, they are generally built in a similar manner.