Nehru Trophy Boat Race - Kerala

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a popular Vallam Kali held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India. Vallam Kali or Vallamkali literally means boat play/game, but can be translated to boat race in English. The most popular event of the race is the competition of Chundan Vallams (snake boats). Hence the race is also known as Snake Boat Race in English. Other categories of boats which participate in various events of the race are Churulan Vallam, Iruttukuthy Vallam, Odi Vallam, Veppu Vallam (Vaipu Vallam),Vadakkanody Vallam and Kochu Vallam.

The Nehru Trophy Valam kali is conducted on the second saturday of August every year and is a famous tourist attraction. 

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of Independent India visited Kerala in 1952. He was given a roaring reception by the people of Alleppey, escorted by the huge snake-boats. Having gone through the tremendous excitement of sailing in a snake-boat Jawaharlal Nehru donated a rolling trophy to be awarded to the winner of the race. The trophy is a replica of a snake-boat in silver, placed on wooden abacus on which the following words are inscribed.To the winner of the boat-race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore-Cochin.

The 100–120 foot long canoes made of a wood locally called "Aanjili thadi" carrying 90- 110 rowers which moves like a snake through the channels (hence the name), is an eye catching sight for any tourist. The Chundan Vallam also has the record as "the biggest water vessel used for sports purpose" .

Karichal, Kallooparamban, champakulam, Nadubhagom, Paayipaadu, Kaavalam, Alapaatu, Aanari, Cheruthana, Aayaparambu,karuvatta puthen chunden,karuvatta sree vinayakan, St. George, Jawahar Thaayankari, Vallamkulangara, Valiya Divanji, Sri.Ganesh, Paarthasarathy, Ambedkar, Mutteal Kainakary, Ellikkulam, Vadakkeaattupuram and Deva's Chundan are the name of popular snake boats who participate in the Chundan Vallam category.

The snake boat which holds the record for winning the most number of trophies is th Karichal Chundan(14 times). Champakulam chundan holds the record for being the fastest chundan in the race during 2014 where it had a Heats time of 4m:33s. UBC Kainakary holds the record for being the club which has won the trophy the most number of times(12 times, including two hat tricks).

Palliyodam, or Royal Canoe of Aranmula, is the other type of snake boat.

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1. Kerala, a state on India's tropical Malabar Coast, has nearly 600km of Arabian Sea shoreline. It's known for its palm-lined beaches and its backwaters, a network of canals popular for cruises. Its many upscale seaside resorts include specialists in Ayurvedic treatments. Inland are the Western Ghats, a mountain range whose slopes support tea, coffee and spice plantations as well as abundant native wildlife.
3. Area: 38,863 km²
4. Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
5. Population: 34.8 million (2012)

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Kerala, popularly known as the God’s own country, is also popular for the lakes and waterfalls. The ambience is tranquil and serene in nature has blessed the place in bounty. Thousands of people flock to Kerala for the very reason of the waterfalls. Longing to make a trip to Kerala, so that you can spend happy hours watching and playing in the waterfalls? Here is the list of top 10 beautiful waterfalls in Kerala.

1.      Athirappilly Waterfalls:

Everybody who wants to visit Kerala for the waterfalls certainly has this falls on their bucket list. Features in many movies, this waterfall allures thousands of tourists every year. A conspicuous retreat from Cochin, and Western Ghats offering the picturesque drive this falls is popular across the world, and in fact, considered one of the must see places. This waterfall is located 47 Km from Thrissur, 78 KM from Cochin, joins the Chalakkudy river, after it falls through the Sholayar forest. It falls from the great height of 80 feet and offers a breathtaking site to the tourists.

2.      Palaruvi:

Literally meaning the stream of milk, this waterfall is located in the Kollam district of Kerala. This spectacular waterfall is the 40th highest one in India, and offers an experience that takes one of awe. The water has the hue of misty white, which resembles milk, and this is why it gets its name.

3.      Thommankuthu:

Located near Thodupuzha, this waterfall is definitely different from the rest because it has 7 steps. You would be definitely enjoying the waterfalls because you can see the each step of the waterfall is succeeded by the pond. Not only the falls, the flora and fauna make this place a must visit. The caves and the lush green forest make this perfect for adventure tourism.

4.      Nyayamakkad Waterfalls:

10 KM from Munnar, this breathtaking waterfall comes from the height of 1600 meters. This waterfall is a famous picnic spot because you can trek to the hillock to get the amazing sight of the valley of Munnar. You can see the plantations spreading over as a green carpet, and the tea pickers working on its offer a magnificent view.

5.      Dhoni Waterfalls:

A combo of trekking and the waterfalls attract lots of tourists every year, and walking through the reserve forests, and the opportunity to explore the hilly terrains, the visit to the Vishwanatha Swami shrine, are other attractions apart from the waterfalls. The annual chariot festival is a gala event.

6.      Soochipara Falls:

This waterfall is in Wayanad, and you need to trek for 2 KM to reach the waterfall. You need not wait to see the beauty of the falls until you reach it, but can get the beautiful even at a distance. Walking through the steep rocks with your loved ones, friends, or even in solitude are a blissful experience.

7.      Thusharagiri Forest:

The term Thusharagiri means snowy peaks or the mountains that are capped with snow. It offers the view of the snow melting down from the heights of the hills. For those who are fit, a 5 KM trek can let you get the stunning view of the origin of the waterfall.

8.      Meenmutty:

This is a gorgeous waterfall,  which is located in Wayanad, and it takes 2 KM trek to reach the waterfall. You would never imagine that there are these many shades of green, and enjoy the lush green forests and valleys. The best thing about the waters here is that they never hide the essence of the sun, but capture it and let it flow through the caves.

9.      Perunthenaruvi Falls:

The name means large honey stream, and this falls is located in the Pathanamthitta District of Kerala. This is located in the Sahayadri range.

10.  Mulamkuzhi Waterfalls:

Want a captivating sight? Then you need to venture to the Ernakulam district to see the Mulamkuzhi falls, which flows through the mountains and gets bigger when it comes to the picturesque location of Malayattoor.

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Top 5 Boat Races in Kerala Backwaters

Boat races are immensely popular in Kerala and are organized during various festivals & occasions. They are major tourist attractions of Kerala apart from the Alleppey houseboats, waterfalls, beaches and the wildlife. Here is a list of the top 5 boat races in Kerala.

1.      Snake Boat Race:

When the topic of boat race comes up, the snake boat race is the one that comes to the minds of many. Have you ever seen hundreds of men rowing the boats to reach the winning destination with perseverance? The Chandanvallams or the snake boats tear the water as the teams row the boat, and this race is all about carrying the idols of Gods in the temples, as the participants and the audience cheer up with cries and songs. The boats are called snake boats because they resemble the hoods of the snake, long hulls and the steep sterns. Every boat carries 100 boatmen, 14 musicians and they row furiously aided by the war music. This is held during the Onam festival.

2.      Champakulam Boat Race:

Popularly known as the Nehru boat race, this takes place during the Malayalam month of Midhunam, which roughly falls between June and July. This race celebrates the arrival of the idol of Lord Krishna at the Ambalapuzha temple. The name Nehru boat race comes because the first Prime Minister of India, Nehru was enthralled by the Punnamada boat ride in Alleppey and jumped into the boat that won the race. Like the winners of the snake boat race, the successful boatmen get silver medal engraved on wooden pedestal. Additionally the words of Jawahar Lal Nehru are engraved, which are “To the winner of the boat race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore – Cochin”.

3.      Aranmula Uthrattathi  Vallamkali:

This is one of the prominent boat races that take place in this region, during the festival of Onam. Dedicated to the Lord Krishna, and Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, huge boats that house 100 rowers and singers in 25 numbers, and 15 helmsmen, this race makes use of the Palliyodam, which is of the natives. The ornamental umbrellas and the flags are the unique features of this boat race.

4.      Payippad Jalotsavam:

One of the best and finest boat races of the entire world, this Jalotsavam has been taking place for 3 days in Allappuzha’s Payipaad, which is 35 Km away from Allappuzha. The Haripad Subramanya Swamy temple and this boat race share a unique and strong bond. The people of Haripad had a dream that the Subramanya statue that is found under the Kayamkulam temple should be installed here before the construction of a temple for Lord Ayyappa. In fact, all the inhabitants had the same dream, and idol was in the whirlpool. They used a boat to bring it to the temple and this is what celebrated with the boat race every year.

5.      Indira Gandhi Boat Race

Named after former Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi, this boat race is held annually in Kochi during the month of December. The race is organized by the Department of Tourism of Kerala in the Kochi Lake.

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