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When you start the day by peeping through the window of your hotel to witness the lush greenery and hear the tinkling sound of flowing backwaters, you are at the land of love and romance “Kerala” also known as God’s own country. If you dream of starting your married life in harmony with adventures and trips filled with enthusiasm, then this coastal paradise in Kerala is the ideal honeymoon destination. Kerala is popular for a variety of water sports it offers. The place it is especially renowned for the “Snake Boat Race” which attracts a lot of tourists every year.
This place offers solitary where you can spend quality time with your loved ones without any disturbance. Vallam Kali, a place here is renowned for the traditional boat race in Kerala. This boat race is conducted during the festival of Onam, the Annual Harvest Festival of Kerala. The best time to visit Kerala to enjoy this Snake Boat Race is from August to October. Kerala is known to have two rainy seasons, the first one starts from June and its ends in August. The second one starts in mid-October and finally ends in the middle of November.
Unlike other regions, Monsoon in Kerala is a little different and does not result in continuous heavy rainfall all the time. After raining for a few hours, the soft golden sunshine intervening through the green palms creates a breath-taking atmosphere all around. The maximum temperature in this region ranges between 23-29 degrees.
The name might sound dangerous, but there is nothing to be worried about it. If this is the first time you have heard about it, you must know that It does not involve snakes. The snake boat race gets its name from the shape of the boat used for racing. It is a long canoe-style boat that is used by the people in Kerala to participate in the racing competitions in the backwaters. This is a historical war boat of Kerala which is about 100-120 ft long and can hold up about 100 rowers. Snake boat is the pride of the villages in this region and every village has snake boats of its own.
In the history of Kerala, Snake Boat Race has been associated with the state for over 400 years now. The story of this boat race has been traced to the ancient king, Alleppey. He was known for fighting battles with the kings of nearby regions along the canals. During the time of war, the king suffered a heavy loss and to get a better boat, he got a boat architect to build a boat for him. The architect thus made the snake boat. In the present day, these boats are used during festivals as adventure sports and activities.
The Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race is an event that is held every year in the month of August or September. It is one of the premier snake boat races that draws massive crowds from all over the country. If you are looking to be a part of such a grand event, the venue of the boat race is Punnamada lake. Each year, hundreds of people crowd this region to watch the competition. During this time, the locals bring the past associated with Alleppey to life with different ceremonial water processions held one after another along with various magnificent water floats.
The snake boat race highlights the Onam festival and along with that a lot of other boat races are held. Looking for the relevant dates related to the races? Here is a quick look at the dates for you:
Nehru Trophy Boat Race – August 10
Champakulam Moolam Boat Race – July 15
Payippad Boat Race – 13th September
Uthradom Thirunal Pampa Boat Race
Aranmula Boat Race – 15th September
Undoubtedly, Alleppey is considered as the best destination in Kerala where you can enjoy the backwaters. People with an interest in sports must plan their trip around one of these boat races to witness the local traditions and culture through this race. Alleppey is a prominent tourist attraction and beside the boat races, it radiates natural beauty and houses several tourist experiences and destinations:
Alleppey is also known as the ‘Venice of East’ for its mesmerizing beauty and backwaters. Cruising or sailing in the well-decorated houseboat in the backwaters of Alleppey is a must-experience activity in Alleppey.
This is a small beach that tourists often visit as a family picnic spot. The beach is surrounded by palms and coconut trees with the calm sea weave touching the shore.
Backwaters are a beautiful attraction of Kerala. Palm and coconut trees create an outstanding picturesque view for people keen on interfacing with nature.
This Sanctuary is an ideal spot for the bird-lover in you. Spread over an area of 14 acres, the sanctuary is home to various rare and migratory birds.
The monsoon in Alleppey has a unique charm and will bring to you the ancient era with its spectacular attractions and sports. This place has earned a special reputation for its cultural sports that highlight the traditional history of the kings of bygone eras.
Boat Race is held in Alleppey during August and September when the incessant rainfall fills the backwaters to the brim. Over thousands of visitors gather on the bank of backwaters to witness the race. All the participating teams begin to practice for the race a couple of months in advance. Boat Race in Alleppey is a splendid procession with several giant boats called Kali-Vallangal, in which the racers start rowing their boat with a rhythmic sound of the oars. Like the gesture of the angry snake, all these boats start competing with great curves and mostly fifteen to twenty feet in height.
Champakulam Moolam Boat Race: It is one of the most spectacular and oldest boat races held on Pampa River at Champakulam during June –July, every year on Moolam day. The Moolam day is significant as it is believed that Lord Krishna was brought by a sailing boat and positioned at an ancient Shri Krishna Temple in Ambalapuzha.
This one is one of the famous boat races held in the second week of August in Punnamada Lake. Numerous snake boats from different villages of Kerala perform in this competition.
Payippad is another famous boat race held at the Payyipad River every year. This race continues for 3 long days during the festival of Onam in August and September. This event is further impressive owing to the colourful getup adorned by the water pageants.
Kumarakom boat race is the most admired boat race to take place on the Vembanad Lake in September during the Onam Festival. This festival is mainly conducted to celebrate the arrival of the famous Sri Narayana Guru at the Kumara Mangalam Temple.
This is the annual boat race performed along the backwaters of Kochi in December. This boat racer is named after Indira Gandhi, our former PM and it attracts many tourists from different places.
This is another popular Boat Race that takes place during the Onam Festival. This popular race is also associated with another big festival of Sri Parthasarathy Temple and is usually conducted during the last two days of the festival.
This is the last boat race performed after 28 days of the Onam festival and it takes place in the Kallada River.
If you are still wondering, then waste no time and pack your bags for a trip to Kerala. The one of a kind experience of witnessing the grand boat races should be on your to-do list this year. For amazing beaches, calm backwaters, thrilling boat-races, mouth-watering sea-food, and cultural heritage ‘God’s own Country’ needs to be your next travel destination.
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April 15, 2024 
