The Nehru Trophy Boat Race, the most colorful water sport in Kerala, is conducted at PUNNAMADA LAKE in Alappuzha on the second Saturday of August every year and 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 Alappuzha. Though it is a festival,what stands apart is the sportive spirit among the participants of the race.
Even though innumerable number of boat races are held in Kuttanad and several parts of Alappuza every year, Nehru Trophy Boat race is a class of it's own and has gained a popularity that no other boat race in Kerala can boast of.

The trophy named 'NEHRU TROPHY' is awarded to the winner of the boat race.The trophy is a replica of a snake-boat in silver, placed on wooden abacus on which the following words of Punditji are inscribed above his signature.
    "To the winner of the boat-race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore-Cochin".

This aquatic festival fosters a sense of unity,fraternity and sportsman spirit and attracts the largest number foreign tourists for any boat race of it's kind.

A Flashback:

In the year 1952, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru visited the erstwhile Travancore - Cochin. On his way to Alappuzha from Kottayam the people of Alappuzha, escorted by the huge snake-boats, gave him a roaring reception. Having gone through the tremendous excitement of sailing in a snake-boat popularly known as Chundan, Jawaharlal Nehru donated a rolling trophy to be awarded to the winner.

This trophy was later christened, 'Nehru Trophy'. The first race was an ‘impromptu’ one held in honour of Panditji. On that occasion Ten Snake boats were present and Nedubhagam Chundan won the race. In 1953 the boat race was not conducted. In order to commemorate the occasion every year "Nehru Trophy Boat Race" is conducted in all splendor by the Nehru Trophy Boat Race Society. 

Many different kinds of country-boats like Iruttukuthy, Veppu and Churulan also participate in the race; women and students also compete in the events over a distance of 4850 ft. The beautiful scenery of the race area together with the exciting snake-boat race, will ever remain a cherished memory for the onlookers.

The presence of high dignitaries and distinguished personalities has enhanced the fame of the NTBR over the years. This prestigious water carnival celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2002.In fact Nehru Trophy Boat Race has enabled Alappuzha to achieve prominance in the World Tourism Map.

The Rajas of Yore

The story of these battling boats goes back 400 years in history when the rajas of the erstwhile principalities of Chempakasseri (Ambalappuzha), Kayamkulam ,Thekkumkoor (Changanacherry) and Vadakkumkoor (Kottayam) in the old Travancore area, which were part of the present Alappuzha district and Kottayam district, frequently crossed swords on the backwaters of Kuttanad. The Chempakasserry troops suffered heavy casualties at the hands of the superior navy their rivals commanded. It soon dawned on the Chempakasserry Raja that the real defect was with his war boats, which were sluggish and cumbersome.

He called all the boat architects in the land to his court and told them of his desire to have better and faster boats for the troops. After days of hard labor, a man who was reputed to be the best boat architect in Chempakasserry, Koduppunna Venkitanarayanan Asari, came up with a specimen which satisfied the raja’s requirements. It had speed, manoeuverability and capacity to carry 100 able-bodied warriors on board and its eel-like construction was most ideal for launching an ambush since it could be easily kept concealed behind the overhanging bushes on the river banks. The Asari was generously rewarded and in the subsequent battles, the Chempakasseri Raja emerged victorious.

The Deceit

The story goes on to tell how the defeated Kayamkulam Raja sent a spy to Chempakasserri to learn the secret of the new war boat. The spy, a handsome youth, succeeded in seducing Asari’s daughter. The girl’s mother was overjoyed by the prospect of getting him as her daughter’s bridegroom and persuaded her husband to teach him the construction of the boat.

Needless to say, the deceitful youth disappeared the moment he thought that he had learnt the secret. Asari was imprisoned by Chempakasserri Raja for treason. But he was released and showered with many honors when the snake boats built by the Kayamkulam Raja proved to be no match for the war boats of Chempakasserry in the next battle. The subtleties of the snake boat’s design are hard to pickup and even today it requires years of apprenticeship under a master boat architect before one could independently undertake the construction of this ancient boat.

When a village decides to have a new snake boat, a committee is formed to raise the Rs.6 lakhs it requires now to build the boat. The boat architect is summoned and the search for the “anjili” tree of the required size often takes the villagers to the high ranges of Kerala. As the snake boat takes shape out of the huge trunk, the ‘asari’ relies mainly on his instinctive estimates.

Of late, the boat builders’ prime concern is to make the snake boat as long as possible so as to seat more and more rowers for speed. The Nedumbhagom snake boat recently entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest rowing boat in the world. But its 135 feet length has since been overtaken by Vellankulangara snake boat, which is 140 feet long.

The boat race is a sport that signifies excellent team spirit, integration and amity of the people of this backwater country and is a great occasion for excitement. It vividly portrays the life of a vibrant people. Boat races are celebrated as the festival of backwaters with all pomp and splendor. In fact these water carnivals are inseparable from the life of a community, which is dependent on boats for commuting and communication in a water logged area. Perhaps snake boat race would be the only sporting event in the world in which hundreds of people participate in a competition. It stands as a symbol of communal harmony; but at the same time it is also a competition of muscle power.  
  
Boat races are magnificent fiestas that bring alive the tranquil backwaters and these races are held in connection with Onam, the harvest festival in August/September. Scores of long snake boats and other smaller crafts participate in these events. The largest team sport in the world, the snake boat races are preceded by colorful water parades. Usually four helmsman, 25 singers and 100-125 oarsmen who row in unison to the fast rhythm of the Vanchipattu man a snake boat. Thousands of people crowd the water's edge to cheer the huge black crafts as they slice through the waters to a spectacular finish.

In the lakes and canals of Alappuzha different kinds of boats can be identified ranging from small country crafts for single person to boats carrying hundreds of people. In the good golden days these boats were the only major means of cargo and passenger transportation in this backwater country. Country canoes, rice boats (Kettuvallom), house boats, race boats etc. are the other different kinds of boats to be seen around.

Boat race Calendar:
The Champakkulam Moolam boat race (July) heralds the onset of the boat race season. The other boat races are Aranmula Uthruttathi Vallam kali (September), Payippad Jalotsavam (September), Rajiv Gandhi boat race, Pulincuunnu (Aug/Sep), Neerettupuram boat race (Sept), Karuvatta boat race, Kumarakom boat race, Kavanattinkara boat race, Kottappuram boat race, Kodungallor boat race, Arppookkara Vanitha Jalamela, Kottayam Mahatma boat race, Mannar boat race, Thazhathangadi boat race, Kumaranasan Smaraka Jaloltsavam, Pallana and finally the Indira Gandhi boat race at Kochi.

Boat Categories

The boats of Kerala are categorised and named as per their shapes, sizes and purposes. The Chundaanvallam is so called because of its pointed prow. The term snake boat indicates the shape of the stern which resembles the raised hood of a snake. The front end of this type of boat will be tapering in shape and the rear end will be highly elevated from the water level. It has a length of about 60-65 meters and a capacity to carry over a hundred to hundred and ten people during a race. The stern is majestically caparisoned and decorated with a flag and brass ornaments. Silken parasols are arrayed along the entire length of the boat. There will be almost 95 oarsman, 5 Amarakkar (Controllers) and 10 'Nilakkar' (persons supposed to enhance the vigour and enthusiasm of the participating oarsman). It has the semblance of a snake, while advancing in a competition and hence became popular as snake boats. These boats were the traditional battle vessels of Kerala.

Iruttukuthy or Odi type of boats are designed for transportation during the night. The shape of the boat is suitable for speedy journey. The width of the boat is so designed as to avoid friction with water while moving. In olden days these boats were supposed to be used for piracy works.

These highly rhythmic songs were created to keep up the spirit of the boatman. These songs were so framed and sung as to keep pace with the movement of the oars and to keep alive their devotional, mythological and rustic life styles. Every snake boat has about twenty-five singers with their traditional percussion instruments.

Click Here for Theme Song

Even at the height of the caste system, the peculiar feature of these regattas was that the caste Hindus, Scheduled Castes, Christians and Muslims all sat in the same row for the feast symbolising the communal amity in Kuttanad. In fact, the Church has a traditional role in the celebrations at Champakkulam even though the water festival there is associated with a temple legend.