There are many kinds of boat races played out every year in Kerala backwaters; each one has its own story of origin with a lot of legendary tales and mythology attached. According to historical sources, boat races originated as a means to settle various disputes between the erstwhile kings and chieftains.
Boat races have been an inherent part of temple festivities organised by religious communities.
The Kerala snake boat races have been in existence for four hundred years, they were used for fighting wars in water by the ancient Kuttanadu Kings. The boat races are popularly called snake boat races due to the peculiar canoe shape of the boat. Different kinds of the boat races take place in different parts of Kerala.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a popular Vallam Kali held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha. It is conducted on the second Saturday of August every year and is a famous tourist attraction.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of Independent India visited Kerala in 1952. He was given a roaring reception by the people of Alleppey, escorted by the huge snake-boats. Having gone through the tremendous excitement of sailing in a snake-boat Jawaharlal Nehru donated a rolling trophy to be awarded to the winner of the race. The trophy is a replica of a snake-boat in silver, placed on wooden abacus on which the following words are inscribed.It was on 1 July 1969 that the trophy was renamed as Nehru Trophy.
The course is 1.4 km (0.9 Miles) in Punnamada Lake. The 100–120 feet long canoes made of a wood locally called “Aanjili thadi” carrying 90- 110 rowers which move like a snake through the channels (hence the name), is an eye catching sight for any tourist. The Chundan Vallam also has the record as “the biggest water vessel used for sports purpose”.
The event is being televised live every year by Doordarshan.
Aranmula Boat Race
The Aranmula Boat Race the oldest river boat fiesta in Kerala, the south western State of India is held during Onam (August–September). It takes place at Aranmula, near a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Arjuna. The snake boats move in pairs to the rhythm of full-throated singing and shouting watched by an excited crowd. In 1972, snake boat races were also added to the program of the festival. Thousands of people gather on the banks of the river Pampa to watch the snake boat races.The oarsmen sing traditional boat songs and wear white mundu and turbans. The golden lace at the head of the boat, the flag and the ornamental umbrella at the center make it a show of pageantry too.
Palliyodams are Aranmula’s unique snake boats (‘’Chundan Vallam’’) which devotees hold in reverence, considering it as the divine vessel of the presiding deity in Sree Parthasarathy temple. These Palliyodams belong to different ‘’karas’’ (rustic parts) on the banks of river Pampa. Each one will usually have 4 helmsmen, rowers, and singers. It is decorated with golden lace. There will be a flag and two or three ornamental umbrellas.
President’s Trophy Boat Race
The President’s Trophy Boat Race is a popular Vallam Kali held on the Ashtamudi lake in Kollam on November 1 every year.The day marks the birth of the Indian state of Kerala known as Kerala Piravi.
This is the most popular of the races to be held during the season of the harvest festival Onam in Autumn on ashtamudi lake in Kollam, the cashew paradise in Kerala.
There would be races in five categories, namely Chundan Vallam (snake-boats), two grades of Veppu Vallam, and two grades of Iruttukuthi Vallam. Sixteen snake-boats would compete in four heats.
The trophy had been instituted in the name of the President of India. President of India will be present to witness the race and would also give away the trophy and cash prize to the winning team.
The venue is at Gateway of Ashtamudi. The race will start from the water column near Thevally Palace and finishing point will be front of the house boat terminal. The water body having 1250 m long in between these two points is scheduled as the Track for the race.
As the oarsmen throw their oars in unison to the fast paced rhythm of the vanchipattu (Song of the Boatmen), the huge black crafts slice through pristine race course of Ashtamudi Lake to a spectacular finish. Hundreds of spectators, including tourists from abroad, thronging the lake front, erupts out of joy.
The boat race is telecasted live in DD National and DD Malayalam.
Payippadu Boat Race
Payippad Vallaarattu, or Jalotsavam, is a three-day water festival conducted in Payippad Lake, 35 km from Alappuzha district of Kerala state in south India.
There is a close relation between this Payippadu Vallam Kali and Subramanya Swamy Temple.
According to the legend, the people of the Haripad village decided to build a Sree Ayyappan temple in accordance with a vision that they should install the idol of Subrahmanya, which they would find in the Kayamkulam River under a whirlpool. Finding the idol, the people brought back Subrahmanya vigraha in a boat, escorted by the devotees in other boats ceremoniously. In remembrance of this event, a three-day water festival is conducted each year.
The oldest temple was about 5000 years old.There was a ‘Skandakumara” idol was installed in the temple. So the place name became KUMARA PURAM.
Even now some areas of Haripad is called Kumarapuram. At that time the temple was under control of some famous Ooranma families, those are Chengarappally, Thazhoor, Kizhikulam and 20 other Karanma families. These families decided to construct a new big temple. The ‘Sreekovil’ was constructed by Ambakkaattu Family of Karichal Village. At that time elder members of the Ooranma families saw a dream in the same night. The dream was an idol of Subrahmanya with 4 hands (Chathurbahu) is lying in Govindamuttom Lake (Kayamkulam). People of these families rushed to the place in a boat (Palliyodam) to find out the idol. They found a whirlpool in the lake. Now the place is called Kandalloor (kanda nalla ooru). After finding the Idol(Vigrha), the people take it to Nelppurakkadavu near Harippad in a boat, escorted by many boats (Palliyodam) rowed by the villages. In remembrance of this event, a three-day water festival is conducted each year.
Payipad boat race is one of the oldest boat race in Kerala.
Kallada Boat Race
The Kallada Jalotsavam, s a popular Vallam Kali held on the Kallada River at Munroe Thuruthu on 28 days after Onam (28 aam Onam) in the Indian state of Kerala. The boat race is conducted along the straight portion(nettayam) of Kallada River. Famous achievers in various fields are honoured during the event.
The boat race can be conveniently viewed from Munroe Island (Munroethuruthu in vernacular). Munroe Island holds an important place in the tourist map of Kerala. The country boat sightseeing across Munroe Island conducted by the Kollam district tourism promotion council is the best of its kind in the country.
Munroe Island can be reached from Kollam railway station by road (28 km). 12 km from Kundara & 24 km from karunagapally at north. Kollam is 71 km away by road from the Trivandrum airport.
The competitions will be preceded by a colourful sail-past and mass drill by the boats competing in the race. Here, 12 Snake boats including 5 Iruttukuthi A grade boats and vepp a b boats will participate.
Champakulam Moolam Boat Race
The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race is one of the oldest vallam kali in Kerala state of south India. The race is held on the River Pamba on Moolam day of the Malayalam month Midhunam, the day of the installation of the deity at the Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple.
According to the legend, Raja of Chempakasseri, Pooradam Thirunal Devanarayanan, built a temple at Ambalappuzha as suggested by the royal astrologers, but just before the installation of the deity (Lord Krishna), he was informed that the idol was not auspicious.
It was important to install a suitable idol immediately.
Accordingly, the priests identified another idol of Lord Krishna, kept at the Karinkulam temple in Kurichi.
This idol was believed to have been given to Arjuna by Lord Krishna himself and was therefore considered very sacred. After getting the idol from Karinkulam temple, the Raja’s men set forth by boat for the return journey. While returning to Ambalappuzha, night set in, and, as instructed by the Raja, they took shelter at a Christian household, the home of Mappilassery Itty Thommen, in the village of Champakulam. Itty Thommen was a loyal subject and a confidant of the king.
Itty Thommen and his family received the men and the idol with great honour. The next day, the Raja and his entourage turned up at Mappilassery, accompanied by a huge mass of people. Pujas were offered to the deity and Itty Thommen and his men also travelled with the flotilla to Ambalapuzha where the idol was duly consecrated and installed with great fanfare. On the way, the people of Champakulam and adjoining areas, as well as the priests and laity of the Champakulam Kalloorkadu Church, honoured the Raja and the idol.
These events took place in 1545 A.D. The Raja, pleased with the love and affection shown to him by his Christian subjects, declared that henceforth, to commemorate these events, a great water carnival would be held at Champakulam every year, on Moolam day in the Malayalam month of Mithunam.
Thus began the Champakulam Snake Boat Race and related functions, which continue to this day.
Sree Narayana Jayanthi Boat Race
The Sree Narayana Jayanthi Vallam Kali or Boat Race, at Kumarakom, Kerala is held in the month of September every year during Onam festival. More than 1,000 oarsmen in boats of different sizes and shapes participate. Even though snake boats participate in this race, the importance is given here is for iruttukuthi, in which about 50 oarsmen row. The successful iruttukuthi wins the Sree Narayana Ever Rolling Trophy.
In 1903 the Sree Narayana Guru arrived at Kumarakom to consecrate an idol of Sri Balasubrahmonia Swami at the Kumaramangalom Temple. After much hesitation that he agreed to consecrate the idol as he was more interested in starting a school at the backward village. Eventually, both the school and the temple were started as per the wish of the Guru. The arrival of the Guru was a great day of celebration for the people of this nondescript village by the Vembanad lake and they welcomed the sage into their midst, accompanying him in their boats in a procession. To commemorate this event, for the past many decades, a boat race, preceded by a boat procession is held as part of the Sri Narayana Jayanthi celebrations at Kumarakom.
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