The Nehru Trophy Boat Race
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race, the most
colorful water sport in Kerala, is conducted at PUNNAMADA LAKE in
Alappuzha on the second Saturday of August every year and this
prestigious cultural event of Kerala has been attracting people from all
over the world.
Kerala is celebrating its 61st nehru
trophy boat race on 10th August 2013.
Nehru Trophy Boat race at Punnamada, Alappuzha is one of the most
significant and colourful boat races in Kerala.The venue is 5kms from Alappuzha railway station and a
walk able distance from Alappuzha bus stand.
Kerala is celebrating its 61st nehru
trophy boat race on 10th August 2013.
The most prestigious and interesting event among the races is the
competition of the "Chundan Vallam" or the snake boats.Champakulam, Kavalam,
Karichal, Jawahar Thayangari, Kallooparamban, Pacha, Pulincunnu,
Nedubhagam, Cheruthana, Kandangari and Paippad are the chief competitors
for the trophy. The huge boats racing through the blue backwaters is a
spectacular sight.
History of nehru trophy boat race
This race became a regular annual event after the visit of India's
1st prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952 to Alappuzha. He was so
impressed with the impromptu race conducted on his behalf that he
donated a Silver Trophy, which is a replica of a snake boat placed on a
wooden abacus, with the words "To the winner of the boat race which is a
unique feature of community life in Travancore - Cochin" inscribed on
it.
Water festival in Kuttanad
The water festival in Kuttanad is unique. No other country in the
world has such festivities. The large number of participants in a racing
boat marks still the uniqueness that no other sport in the world has
such a large number in a team. The synchronized way of rowing needs long
and devoted training and inherent aptitude. Those who steer the vessel
need through knowledge of water current, observation power of high
order, and they must be well versed in the different aspects of boat
racing. The most notable fact in the races of boats is that a single
neglected act of a single participant will lead a boat to lose in the
race.
Most of the major water festivals of the region are associated with
legends connected with famous temples like
champakkulam (Ambalapuzha),
Payipad (Haripad) and Aranmula. These festivals best retain the flavour
of ancient Kerala culture, especially the Uthrithathi boat race on the
Pampa , in Aranmula, where devotion, music and the sheer artistry and
grandeur of the boats, known as Palliyodams , make it a unique
experience for the spectators.
