Kuttanad the once rice bowl of Kerala and the upper Kuttanad area are mainly famous for the boat races. Majority of the people of the locality belong to agrarian sector comprising the agriculturists , agriculture workers and fishermen folks . The annual boat races often become the platform for providing the physique and muscle power of the people of a particular locality (kara) of Kuttanadu .The selection of oarsmen and maintenance of boats are made in such an impeccable manner that the performance will be superb.

these boat races are considered as an example of the communal harmony prevailing in the area. irrespective of cast , creed and classes, all the people can participate in the boat race. Oarsmen belonging to different casts will come together in a boat and they have to develop an attitude of unity for a common goal which helps a lot for keeping the communal harmony and amenity.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the most famous of the boat races of Kerala. This annual regatta is held on the Punnamada Backwaters of Alappuzha district on the second Saturday of August.
The event is a commemoration of the visit to this place by the late Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1952.
The spectacular races features magnificent snake boats or 'Chundans'. The boisterous and rhythmic boat songs or Vanchipattu work the spectators to a state of frenzy.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the biggest and the most famous event. The world renowned Nehru Trophy Boat Race is held at Punnamada lake in Alappuzha on the second saturday of August every year . This year the event falls on 9th August , 2003. The major attraction of the boat race is the competition of snake boats or chundanvallams. for the Nehru Trophy Boat Race all the 18 snake boats of the state will participate.The race course , having a length of about 1370 mts , is divided into various tracks for the conduct of the competition. When they are advancing through various tracks , it appears like the fast moving snakes . The oarsmen splash the oars in unison with the rhythmic chants and beats of drum. The movement of competing boats are so thrilling that the spectators get in tune with the excited mood of the surrounding uproar.

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 .

Champakulam Moolam Boat Race

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.

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 colorful, 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 colorful parasol and performing arts greets the spectator before the race. The race proper is held in various stages for various categories of boats.

Aranmula boat Race

The two day Aranmula Boat Race is more a water fiesta than a competition, conducted during Onam. 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.)

Today, only 26 snake boats participate in the event which is marked by a colorful water carnival - an imposing effigy of Sree Krishna is taken out in procession on the lake with children dressed as nymphs and princesses. On the second day, snake boats decorated with silken parasol, carrying helmsmen, oarsmen and singers assemble near the temple early in the morning and then move away in pairs, creating a magnificent pageant. The boat race proper is held in the afternoon.

Other Boat Races are:-

Courtesy:-  Culture Holidays.com

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