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Every year, during the Onam season, the placid backwaters of Kerala bear witness to a frenzied water regatta. Wooden snake boats, numbering to over 20, zip along the backwaters, powered by the might of hundreds of oarsmen as they row their boats towards the finishing line and compete for the coveted first place. Each boat consists of around 100 oarsmen who row in a synchronized fashion and battle it out in the waters to the tune of ‘Vanchipattu’, the traditional boat songs of Kerala. The snake boat races are indeed the Olympics of water sports in Kerala! And it is a magnificent sight to behold!
There are more than 100 boat races in Kerala and the most famous one is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race which is hosted in the backwaters of Alappuzha. These boat races are the pride of each village in the district and an age-old tradition associated with the harvest season, especially the Onam festival. People from far and wide arrive at Punnamada Lake to watch this unique water sport. The waters witness the races of all kinds of vessels - from huge snake boats to small country rafts - all of them darting across the serene backwaters towards the finish line. Over the years, this unique sporting spectacle where the backwaters turn into race tracks have become an integral part of Kerala’s cultural landscape and the state’s tourism itinerary.
There are different kinds of racing boats, each of which is different with regard to the shape of the prow, helm, the number of rowers that can be accommodated and so on. Some can be as long as 100 ft., with an ability to accommodate over 150 rowers! The popular types of racing boats are Chundan (snake boat), Churulan, Odi (Iruttukuthi) and Parunthuvalan (Veppu).
Experience the excitement in the air as the race boats speed across the water in perfect harmony with the rhythmic notes of the boat songs, cheered on enthusiastically by the rowers and the onlookers alike! You can't help but sway and egg on the rowers!
To get a feel of this water regatta, check out this video now.
