Nehru Trophy Boat Race Alappuzha on 11 th August 2007

55 th Nehru trophy boat race

Payipadan chundan (snake boat) wins the Nehru trophy for the third time

This year 55 boats will participate in the following categories, including 18 chundans.

chundan

Eruttukuthy

Veepu

Churulan

Thekkanodi vallam

Chundan race schedule

1st stage

Nadumbagham, vellamkulangara, Jawahar tayangari, sri Ganesh

2nd stage

anari chundan, karuvatta, pattarachundan, st George

3rd stage

Valiyadevanji, chamabakulam, Karichal, Kalluparamban

4th stage

Alappad, Payipad, Ayaparambu, Pandi, Cheruthana

A team of foreigners will also participate in the ladies section of the race.

History : In 1952 the then prime minister of India Shri Jawaharlal Nehru on his visit to kerala took the water route from kottayam to alappuzha. A race was organised in his honour. The victor
of the race was Nadumbaghom chundan. Nehru wasw so excited seeing the race that he leapt on to
the boat and congratulated the winners.
The Trophy: Later that year he send a token of his appreciation - a miniature silver chundan
mounted on a ebony case. The plaque on the trophy bears the following inscription above his
signature " To the winners of the boat race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore - cochin "

There after the event became an annual feature named prime minister's trophy boat race and is held on the second saturday of August every year. After nehru's death it was renamed as Nehru Trophy.

The race is held in four main categories

Churulan
Iruttukuthy
Veppu
Chundan

Chundan: Is the lord of the race. It can accomadate about 100 oarsmen who can produce 90 to 120strokes per minute, the 100 foot chundan can cover a distance of 1.4 kms in about 5 minutes.

The first design of a chundan was submitted by Kodupunna Venkitanarayanan Asari . Because of the eel like structure these boats are called snake boats by foreigners.

The last race, the 54th Nehru Trophy Boat Race was held on August 12th 2006.

A total of 60 crafts including 18 chundans ( snake boats) participated in the race. It can be safely called the biggest regatta of the sub continent.