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The backwaters of Kerala apart from being a major tourist attraction are also venues for yet another splendid, unparalleled attraction of God's Own Country - Boat Races. The boat race of Kerala are one of the important and popular festivals of Kerala that tourist must experience during their Kerala travel and tour. Kerala boat races are an event that is as much part of the land's ethos and is a sport that signifies the excellent team spirit, integration and amity of the people.
The vibrant fiestas that bring alive the tranquil Kerala backwaters, when fierce Vallom Kallie (boat races) and water carnivals erupt every year in a dramatic spectacle and hold tens of thousands of people spell-bound, cheering the action, laying bets, goading the boatmen to row faster.
A calendar of the snake boat races of Kerala from July to September.
Aranmula Uthrattadi Boat Race
Venue
Pampa River Aranmula, Chengannur
Hor to Rach Aranmula
By Air
Nearest Airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 115 km away.
By Rail
Nearest Railway Station is Chengannur, about 10km away
The two day Aranmula Boat Race is more a water fiesta than a competition, conducted during Onam season. The event is a re-enacting of the legend involving a devout Brahmin who made a votive offering of feeding one pilgrim a day. One day Sree Krishna himself appeared to him and the overjoyed Brahmin vowed to offer 51 measures of rice and all the provision for the thiruvona sadya (the sumptuous Onam feast) at the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple. Once, the thiruvonachilavu thoni (the boat carrying the offerings) was intercepted by rivals from another village, but the Brahmin's own villagers came to the rescue on snake boats. From then on the offering was carried by a fleet of palliyodam - about 48 of them representing the nearby backwater villages. (A palliyodam is a large, luxurious snake boat used by gods and royalty.)
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Today, only 26 colorful snake boats participate in the event. An imposing idol of Sri Krishna is taken out in procession around the lake where the children are dressed as nymphs and princesses. On the second day of the event, snake boats is decorated with silken parasol and full of helmsmen, oarsmen and singers assemble near the temple early in the morning. From there, they move on in pairs thereby creating a magnificent spectacle. The proper boat race is held in the afternoon.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race
Venue
Punnamada Backwaters
How to Reach Punnamada Backwaters
By Air
Nearest Airport is Cochin International Airport, about 85 km from Alappuzha town
By Rail
Nearest railway station: Alappuzha.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race, is the most colourful water sport in Kerala, is conducted at Punnamada Lake Alappuzha on the second saturday of every August. This prestigious cultural event of Kerala has been attracting people from all over the world. Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a festival for the people of Alleppey the main attraction of which is the sportive sprits among the participants of the race.
This trophy named as Nehru Trophy was donated by the late Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru to the winners of the first boat race which was an impromptu one conducted in 1952 in honour of Panditji who visited Alappuzha
The History of Nehru Trophy Boat Race is associated with the visit of late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime Minister of India to Alappuzha. The first race was an impromptu one conducted in 1952 in honour of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who visited Alappuzha. In that race of snake boats, Nadubhagam Chundan stood first. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who was thrilled and excited by the performance of the oarsmen, jumped into the Nadubhagam Chundan, forgetting all security arrangements. The boat proceeded to the boat jetty carrying the Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his return to Delhi in december 1952, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru donated a silver trophy which is a replica of a snake boat placed on a wooden abacus. The trophy bears the following inscription above his signature;"To the winners of the boat race which is a unique feature of community life in travancore - cochin." This trophy later came to be known as Nehru Trophy, and in fond memory of great pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the people of Alappuzha celebrate the Nehru Trophy Boat Race every year. The boat clubs and the boat race lovers of the locality who are the inspiring spirit behind the boat races have to spend lacks of rupees for presenting an impeccable performance in the race. It is the cherished ambition of all boat clubs to win the Nehru Trophy Boat Race and embrace the prestigious Nehru Trophy Boat Race which is considered as a matter of pride and prestige. This year when celebrating the 51st Nehru Trophy Boat Race , the organizers have made elaborate arrangements for the conduct of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race on a grand style and scale.
The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race
Venue
Champakulam, about 26 km from Alappuzha.
How to reach Champakulam
By Air
Nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, about 85 km from Alappuzha town
By Rail
Nearest railway station is Alappuzha.
The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race is the oldest and most popular snake boat race in Kerala, and is closely connected to the Sree Krishna Temple at Ambalappuzha. The race is held on the Champakulam Lake on the moolam day of the Malayalam month Midhunam, the day of the installation of the deity at the temple.
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Legends say that Maharaja Devanarayana of Chempakasseri, as instructed by the royal priest, built a temple at Ambalappuzha. But just before the installation of the deity he was informed that the idol was not auspicious. The king was disturbed, but his minister suggested an inspired solution. To bring down the beautiful idol of Sree Krishna - presented to Arjuna by the Lord himself, from the Karikulam temple in Kurichi. The minister with a few others went to Kurichi, met the authorities there and returned with the idol. On the way back they stopped at Champakulam to spent the night and perform a pooja. The next morning boats from the entire region assembled to escort the idol in a colourful, ceremonial procession through the lake to the Temple. Years later the pageant is still re-enacted with the same enthusiasm. An exotic procession of water floats, boats decorated with colourful parasols and performing arts greets the spectator before the race. The race proper is held in various stages for various categories of boats.|
Payippad Jalotsavam
Venue
Payippad, Alappuzha
How to Reach Paippad
By Air
Nearest Airport is Cochin International Airport, about 85 km from Alappuzha
By Rail
Nearest Railway Station is Harippad about 5km away
The three day annual fiesta on the Payippad Lake, 35 km from Alappuzha, commemorates the installation of the deity at the Subramanya Swamy Temple, Haripad. The story is that the people of the village decided to build a temple with Sree Ayyappa as the presiding deity. After the temple was ready, they had a vision directing them to a whirlpool in Kayamkulam Lake where they would find the idol of Sree Subramanya, which was to be installed at the temple. Accordingly, the elders of the village with divers and swimmers rowed to the spot and found the idol, which was escorted, back ceremoniously by devotees from the entire region in colourfully.
Other boat races held during Onam
August - September
ATDC Boat Race, Alappuzha, Rajiv Gandhi Boat Race, Pulinkunnu, Neerettupuram Boat Race, Kumarakom Boat Race, Karuvatta Boat Race, Kavanattinkara Boat Race, Kumarakom Arpookara Vanitha Jalamela, Kottayam Mahatma Boat Race, Mannar, Thazhathangadi Boat Race,Kottayam, Kottapuram Boat Race, Kodungallur and Kumaranasan Smaraka Jalotsavam, Pallana.The Indira Gandhi Boat Race.
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