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Boat Races in Kerala
Kerala is well-known for its boat races along with the water sports.
Kuttanad and the upper Kuttanad area are mainly famous for the boat races. The
annual boat races are a source of entertainment, celebration and gaiety for the
locals comprising majority of the agriculturists and fishermen. These annual boat
races are the platform for proving the physique and muscle power of the people
of a Kara locality of Kuttanadu. Among the several boat races of Kerala the chief
are the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Champakulam Moolam Boat Race and Aranmula Boat
Race.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the
most colorful water sport in Kerala. It is organized at Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha
every year on the second Saturday in the month of August. People from all over
the world come over here to witness this prestigious cultural event of Kerala.
The trophy was named as Nehru Trophy because the first Prime Minister of India,
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru handed it over to the winners of the first boat race.
The event was an impromptu and was held in the honor of the Prime minister who
visited Alappuzha in 1952.
In the year 1952, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visited
the erstwhile Travancore-Cochin. On his way to Alleppey from Kottayam He was given
a roaring reception by the people of Alleppey on his way from Alleppey to Kottayam.
After enjoying the sail in the snake boat known as Chundan, Pandit Nehru donated
a rolling trophy to be awarded to the winner.
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race
is celebrated, as a festival by the people of Alleppey and the main attraction
of the festival is the sportsman's sprit of the participants of the race. The
event is enjoyed equally by the locals as well as the tourists both Indian and
foreigners.
Boat Races of KeralaThe trophy is a replica in silver of a
snake-boat and is placed over a wooden abacus. Panditji's signature along with
the following words is inscribed on the trophy: "To the winner of the boat-race
which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore-Cochin". This trophy
was later given the name of the 'Nehru Trophy'. Nehru Trophy Boat race has become
a very popular event over the years and all the boat clubs desire to win the prestigious
Nehru Trophy.
Champakulam Moolam Boat Race
The Champakulam Moolam
Boat Race is the oldest and most popular snake boat race in Kerala. It is closely
associated with the Sri Krishna Temple at Ambalappuzha. The boat race is held
on the Champakulam Lake on the Moolam day of the Malayalam calendar month Midhunam.
It is also the day of the installation of the deity at the Temple.According to
the local legends, the Maharaja Devanarayana of Chempakasseri built a temple at
Ambalappuzha at the instruction of the royal priest. But as the deity was being
installed, he was informed that the idol was not auspicious. The minister suggested
to the disturbed king to bring down the idol of Sri 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 and returned with the idol. On
the way back they had a night halt at Champakulam. The next morning, the boats
from the entire region gathered to escort the idol in a ceremonial procession
through the lake to the Temple.
This practice has continued over the years
and is performed with the same enthusiasm. An exotic procession of water boats
decorated with colorful parasol is carried out just before the race. The race
is organized at several stages for various categories of boats.
Aranmula
Boat Race
The Aranmula Boat Race is a two day water carnival rather than
a sports competition. It is held during the festival of Onam. According to the
local beliefs, this event is performing of a very famous legend. The story thus
goes that once a devout Brahmin made votive offering of feeding one pilgrim a
day. One day Sri Krishna himself made an appearance to him. Overwhelmed, the Brahmin
vowed to offer 51 measures of rice and all the ration for the thiruvona sadya
or the sumptuous Onam feast at the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple.
Once
the rivals from another village stopped the thiruvonachilavu thoni or the boat
carrying the offerings. But the villagers of the Brahmin's own village came to
the rescue on snake boats. Since then, a fleet of about 48 palliyodam representing
the nearby backwater villages carried the offering. A palliyodam is a large, luxurious
snake boat used especially by the gods and the royalty.
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.
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