{"id":5239,"date":"2022-10-27T17:21:15","date_gmt":"2022-10-27T17:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/?p=5239"},"modified":"2022-10-27T17:21:17","modified_gmt":"2022-10-27T17:21:17","slug":"snake-boat-race-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/snake-boat-race-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Snake Boat Race Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The sport of boat racing is well-known throughout the world, however India’s own boat race is unique from others. It’s a festival, not a sport, and it’s celebrated not just with good sportsmanship, but also as an ode to the gods. In Kerala, which is referred to as “God’s own country,”<\/strong> races are run in homage to various deities. Onam is the time of year when Vallam Kali<\/strong> (boat race) is observed; the festival’s lengthy history has imbued it with the sentiment of the local populace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival.jpg\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is a significant occasion that often takes place in Kerala from July to September. The moon phases decide the precise dates of the races. Onam is the time when it is honoured. The races use a variety of traditional canoe or paddled longboat types. However, the Chundan Vallam, or “snake boat,” is the most well-known. The boats’ rounded ends have cobra-head shapes.<\/strong> Vallam Kali is, to put it simply, a boat race with enormous, serpent-like boats. Snake boats typically measure between 100 and 120 feet in length and have room for up to 100 rowers. It is observed differently around the state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is it celebrated?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-2.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

According to a well-known legend of Snake Boat Races, which dates back 400 years, the rulers of Alleppey (Alappuzha)<\/strong> and the surrounding regions used to engage in battle in boats on the canals. Once upon a time, the king suffered significant losses and enlisted the help of a boat architect to improve his design. As a result, the “Snake Boat,” which promised victory in every conflict, was built. It is also thought that a rival monarch sent a spy to discover the craft’s secrets, but the spy was unable to do so since the perception of the design was so challenging to grasp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-3.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Years later, the indigenous started “Snake Boat Races” as a cultural event, but the rowers and boatmen are treated with respect and it’s a wonderful occasion for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snake Boat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-4.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Every village owns a snake boat, and they are very proud of it! When a community decides to construct a new snake boat, a committee is set up to raise the necessary funds (which can range from 6 lakhs to even 60 lakhs) for the project. The committee then selects an expert architect (Asari) to create the “snake boat” and starts looking for the ideal tree (Kadampu or Anjili) from which to build it. Chundan, Churulan, Odi (Iruttukuthi), and Parunthuvalan are the most widely used racing boat types (Veppu). Regarding the design of the helm, prow, and crew-accommodation space, each of these boats is unique from the others. Some are as long as 100 feet and can hold up to 150 rowers, while others are only 18 feet and can hold a dozen crew. To ultimately learn the technique of making a snake boat on your own, it takes years of apprenticeship under a master architect. The snake boat requires a great deal of precision throughout construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-5.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Some famous boat races in Kerala<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Aranmula Boat Race<\/strong> – Aranmula Boat Race is a two day festival. This occurs as Arjun’s birthday is being celebrated. The race, however, is also seen as a gift for Lord Krishna. The custom began as a tribute to the snake boats that helped save a devout Brahman. He was attacked by hostile forces as he brought food to the Shree Parthasarathy Temple for a feast. Paliyodams are the name of this race’s snake boats. These boats’ design is credited to Krishna. According to legend, Krishna arrived in this town on the Aranmula, a raft made of six bamboos. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-6.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    2. Nehru Trophy Boat Race\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 Without a doubt, this boat race that is held on the Punnamada River in Alleppey is one of the most amazing boat racing events in the nation! The former Indian prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who visited Kerala in 1952, is credited with giving the race its name. The prime minister attended a hastily organised boat race, and he was so impressed by the competitors’ talent and expertise that he gave the races, which have been held annually since, a trophy. It is now a highly popular tourist destination in Kerala that showcases the people, culture, and star attraction, the “Chundan” (snake boats) of every hamlet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-7.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    3. Champakulam Boat Race<\/strong>– The honour of the installation of the idol of Lord Krishna in the Shri Krishna Temple in Ambalappuzha is celebrated during one of the oldest and most well-known “Champakkulam Moolam Boat Race” events. Around 25 kilometres from Alleppey, this race is held on the river at Champakkulam (Changanassery). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-8.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    How is it celebrated?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-9.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    The rowers perform Vanchipattu, the festival’s traditional melodies, while donning a mundu and a turban. People cheer for the best snake boat to win as the air is filled with the song of the rowers, which energises the scene. Locals and visitors alike swarm the river’s banks as a result. The boat race is an artistic endeavour, not just a sport. The audience is mesmerised by the mesmerising coordination of the rowers’ movements. Additionally, the ambiance is fascinatingly lightened by their cacophony of singing voices. These festival-wide features demonstrate how this race is a genuine expression of local artistic tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-10.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Every hamlet is proud of its snake boat, and taking part in these boat races is regarded as nothing less than an honour for that particular community or village (Kara). The boat race season brings out the positive energy, friendship, and sense of teamwork that exists between the members of the various towns. The boat races are an opportunity for all families to come together and take in an activity with loved ones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Snake-Boat-Race-Festival-11.jpg\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    People who are dispersed throughout their communities and living distant from their homes are given the chance to return and celebrate this event with their close friends and relatives. The boat races do the crucial job of developing pride, patriotism, tenacity, and collaboration while also bringing a person closer to his or her heritage! Yes, there is competition, but it also brings delight, excitement, and pure enjoyment. The Kerala snake boat races are unique in that anybody and everyone may enjoy them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The sport of boat racing is well-known throughout the world, however India’s own boat race is unique from others. It’s a festival, not a sport, … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5240,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[121],"tags":[310,387],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5239"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5239"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5239\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5254,"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5239\/revisions\/5254"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/selectvenue.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}