Nehru Trophy Boat Race
One of Kerala’s most prestigious snake boat races is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race. Every year, it takes place on the second Saturday in August and is quite popular. People swarm to see nearly 100-foot-long boats race against one another while listening to traditional boat melodies. The race takes place at Punnamada Lake, where competitors queue to compete.
The visit of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952 is the origin of the name of this water competition. He ignored his security cover and jumped onto one of the magnificent snake boats after being spellbound by their beauty. Later on in the year, as a thank-you for the memories of his time there, he would contribute a silver trophy in the shape of a snake boat. As a result, the competition would subsequently be known as the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
Beautiful water floats and ceremonial water processions fill the neighbourhood during this time. The waters are under the hands of the skilled oarsmen who put on a spectacle that one can never forget, controlling anything from the enormous chundan valloms (snake boats) to little village rafts. It stands alone as a form of art.
Event date: 12-08-2023
Venue: Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha
District: Alappuzha
Visit the website: http://nehrutrophy.nic.in
