Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Nehru Trophy Boat Race, the most colourful water sport in Kerala, is conducted at PUNNAMADA LAKE in Alappuzha on the second saturday of every August. 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 Alleppey the main attraction of which is the sportive sprits among the participants of the race.

This trophy named as NEHRU TROPHY was donated by the late Prime Minister of INDIA Jawaharlal Nehru to the winners of the first boat race which was an impromptu one conducted in 1952 in honour of Panditji who visited Alappuzha. This aquatic festival fosters a sense of unity and fraternity and sports man spirit event and attaching foreign tourists also.

In the year 1952, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visited the erstwhile Travancore-Cochin. On his way to Alleppey from Kottayam 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 popularly known as Chundan, Jawaharlal Nehru donated a rolling trophy to be awarded to the winner.

The trophy is a replica of a snake-boat in silver, placed on wooden abacus on which the following words of Panditji are inscribed above his signature.
In and around Alappuzha , more than ten boat races are held every year . Among them , Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the biggest and the most famous event in its kind. The world renowned Nehru Trophy Boat Race is held at Punnamada lake in Alappuzha on the second saturday of August every year . This year the event falls on 9th August , 2003 . The major attraction of the boat race is the competition of snake boats or chundanvallams. for the Nehru Trophy Boat Race all the 18 snake boats of the state will participate.The race course , having a length of about 1370 mts , is divided into various tracks for the conduct of the competition. When they are advancing through various tracks , it appears like the fast moving snakes . The oarsmen splash the oars in unison with the rhythmic chants and beats of drum. The movement of competing boats are so thrilling that the spectators get in tune with the excited mood of the surrounding uproars.Nehru trophy boat race is the event which draws the largest number of tourists to kerala every year and the government authorities spend huge volumes of money for the conduct of the boat race even then this event is not being given its due share of presence on the internet.So i have set up this website to provide quality information about this magnificient race to all the people who are interested world over.

Other Boat races held in August/September

Aranmula, Uthrattadi Vallamkali.
Champakulam Moolam Boat Race.
Payippad Jalotsavam.
ATDC Boat Race, Alappuzha.
Rajiv Gandhi Boat Race, Pulinkunnu.
Neerettupuram Boat Race.
Kumarakom Boat Race.
Karuvatta Boat Race.
Kavanattinkara Boat Race,
Kumarakom Arpookara Vanitha Jalamela,
Kottayam Mahatma Boat Race, Mannar.
Thazhathangadi Boat Race,Kottayam.
Kottapuram Boat Race,
Kodungallur and Kumaranasan Smaraka Jalotsavam, Pallana.

The Indira Gandhi Boat Race is held on the Ernakulam Lake during the Cochin Carnival in the last week of December.

Author : Unknown

Share this

Related Posts