Kerala Boat Race

Kerala boat race, India is defined by the several boat races in Kerala, the emerald state lying at the south-western tip of India. Boat racing is one of the old traditional games of India; in Kerala you will get the full flavor of this sport.

There is active participation of the Kerala folks in the boat races and tournaments; boat racing is no less than a community festival out here. Keralites look forward to the annual boat races and so does the tourist who flocks to this place to feel the pulse of this thrilling sport in southern India. Kerala boat race encourages the growth of sports tourism in India.Boat races in Kerala lure sports enthusiasts and leisure seekers to ‘God’s Own Country’. This sport, taking place in

the backwaters of Kerala, represents team spirit and integration. The snake boat races in Kerala are marked by colorful fiestas and festivals and they take place during the harvest festival in the months of August and September. These snake boats or ‘chundans’are rowed by 100-125 oarsmen and managed by four helmsmen. There are 25 singers who sing ‘vanchipattu’or the boatman’s song and rows simultaneously. There are thousands others who line the shores of the backwaters and cheer for their team.

The popular snake boat races of Kerala are:

• Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali”¦ This boat racing competition taking place at Onam is marked by colorful festivities. This colorful water carnival is a dramatic re-enactment of a legend where a religious Brahmin offered food to a pilgrim. It is connected to Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple and on the first day of the event the effigy of Shri Krishna is carried out in procession and on the second day colorfully decorated snake boats assembles; theses boats move in pairs and this magnificent assemblage is enjoyed by young and the old.
   
• Champakulam Moolam Boat Race”¦ it is one of the ancient boat races in Kerala that is associated with the Shri Krishna temple at Ambalappuzha; in the Malayalam calendar on the ‘moolam’day in the month of ‘midhunam’this boat race takes place in Champakulam lake. This date is significant since the deity was installed on this day. The boats are exquisitely decorated with parasols.
  
  
• Payippad Jalotsavam”¦ this is an annual fiesta of Kerala taking place for a stretch of three days on the Payippad Lake. It takes place in dedication to the deity at Subramanya Swamy Temple at Haripad.
   
• Nehru Trophy Boat Race”¦ this is one of the popular boat events in Kerala. Punnamada Lake is the venue of Nehru Trophy Boat Race. This trophy is unique because there are separate competitions for women

Other popular boat races of Kerala are:

• ATDC Boat Race
• Rajiv Gandhi Boat Race
• Neerettupuram Boat Race
• Karuvatta Boat Race
• Kumarakom Boat Race
• Kavanattinkara Boat Race
• Kottayam Mahatma Boat Race
• Thazhathangadi Boat Race
• Kottapuram Boat Race
• The Indira Gandhi Boat Race

Each of the boat races in Kerala is an astounding spectacle. Get to know more about Kerala boat race, India and sports tourism in India from the informative pages of holidayshub.com