56th Nehru Trophy Boat Race
9th August 2008 at Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha kerala India
Sixteen chudan vallams (snake boats ), alltogether forty seven boats in various categories will take part in the race in 2008.
Chundan category
winner Karichal chundan
The other categories are Veppu and Eruttukuthy
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 was 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.
more about chundan vallams or snakeboats >>>
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.
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