Kerala is many things at the same time. It is fondly called ‘God’s own Country’ owing to its heavenly landscape and backwaters that leaves one in a spell. It has many unexplored aspects to it which contribute to its mystery. Of all the experiences Kerala offers, one thing that stands out is the much talked about event of Vallam Kali, commonly referred to as Snake Boat Race.

The popular boat racing event is the reason why Kerala is sometimes also referred to as the ‘Venice of the East‘. The backwaters of the coastal state offer the perfect locale to organise the event that dates back to several centuries.

In the local dialect, the boats are called “Kundan Vallam” and only one boat is allowed to participate from one village. So, it becomes a matter of pride for the whole village. The village council selects some of the finest and the most skilled rowers to represent them. The traditional boat racing event involves long ‘snake boats’, typically 30 to 35 (100-140 ft) meters in length, and accommodates around 64 to 128 paddlers. The rear of the boat is about 20 ft in height, while the front has a long taper. The shape of the boat resembles a snake, so the name ‘snake boat’ was given by the British. The event is organised during the harvesting festival, Onam during Autumn, which lasts several days.

History of the snake boat race

The race traces its history to the 13th century when a competition was organised between the rival kingdoms of Kayamkulam and Chembakassery. King Devanarayana of Chembakassery ordered the construction of a war boat that was later named, Chundan Vallam. The peculiar design of the boat was developed by a famous carpenter of the day.

Interestingly, the design and technical methods used in making the boats are around eight centuries old.

The enthralling event of the snake boat race

The event is organised across the state in several fragments with several small and big organisations conducting their own events. The Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race is one of the oldest and the premier-most snake boat race events that is organised around August and September. This year, the event was held on September 4.

The event draws participants and attendees from across the country. The race was started in 1952 in the honour of the first Prime Minister of the country, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.  Since then, it has developed into a major cultural and sports event. The venue of the coveted boat race event is Punnamada lake in Alleppey.

The one-of-a-kind sporting event in the country offers a mesmerising glimpse of a large number of snake boats rowing in perfect synchronisation. The spectators are held in awe at the rare sight of sporting sentiment showcased by the participating teams. It is estimated that each team spends several lakhs of rupees to prepare for the race. The money goes into rigorous training, designing, and maintaining the race boats. For these sporting men, it is much more than a race. It is a centuries-old tradition of their land that has developed into an emotion.

It is beyond just winning a competition, but is about pride and honour. They even worship their race boats like a deity.