Charm of the snake boat race in Kerala, known as ‘God’s own Country’

The backwaters of Kerala is the perfect locale to organize an event like the snake boat race. It dates back to several centuries. Only one boat can participate from one village. Obviously, it becomes a matter of pride for the whole village. To ensure success, the village council selects some of the finest and the most skilled rowers for their entry. The length of the boats are typically 100 to 140 feet in length and large enough to accommodate around 64 to 128 paddlers. The rear portion of the boat is about 20 ft in height, while the front has a long taper. Its shape resembles a snake, hence the name of ‘snake boat.’ The event is organized during Onam, the harvesting festival that lasts for several days during autumn. Snake boat race: Kerala’s annual nudge with a centuries-old tradition. The history of the race dates back to the 13th century. It started off by a race between two rival kingdoms.

A famous carpenter of the day developed the unique design of the boat and technical methods used to make the boats are several centuries old. The Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race in Kerala is one of the oldest and the premier-most event held in August-September. It began in 1952 in honor of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. Participants and attendees come from across the country and is now a major cultural and sports event. The venue is Punnamada Lake in Alleppey. Each team spends huge sums of money to prepare for the race. These go towards rigorous training of the participants apart from designing, and maintaining the boats. For these sporting men, it is a centuries-old tradition of their land that has developed into an emotion. It is not just winning the competition, but also about pride and honor. To them each race boat is like a deity.

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