Snake boat races in Alappuzha (Alleppey) Kerala, India

nehru trophy snakeboat race.Photo by M T Cherian

Snake Boat race is stated to be the sport event having the highest number of members in a single team. Usually, a snake boat is manned by four helmsmen, 25 cheerers /singers and 100-125 oarsmen, who row in unison to the fast rhythm of `vanchipattu'or boatmen's song.

The snake boat racing season in Alappuzha district begins in June/july.
Apart from chundan the following categories of boats take part in these races
Chundan vallam( snake boats)
Churulan boats ( vallam)
Odi boats ( vallam)
veppu boats (vallam)
Palliyodam

Important Snake boat races in Kerala

Snake boat racing season schedule 2011

Champakulam Moolam snake boat race July 14 th 2011
Nehru trophy boat race August 13th 2011
Rajeev Gandhi trophy Boat Race pullinkunnu Augut 21st 2011
Kayamkulam Boat Race August 27 2011
President's Trophy Boat Race kollam : August 30 2011
Mannar Mahatma snake boat race : September 4th 2011

onam festival season
Payipad snake boat race (jalolsavam) september 9 , 10, race on 11th 2011
Pampa Nereetupuram snake boat race September 9 2011
Chengannur erapuzha chatayam boat race september 11 2011
Karuvatta snake boat race september 12, 2011

Aranmula uttrathathi snake boat race September 14th 2011
Goshalakrishna snake boat race September 16th september 2011
kallada snake boat race kollam October 6th 2011

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2010 boat racing season details
Champakulam moolam boat race (June 26th 2010)

Nehru trophy boat race (August 14th 2010) the most popular boat race in India
Rajiv Gandhi Trophy Boat Race at Pulinkunnu (August 21st 2010 )
Mannar Mahatma Boat Race August 22 2010 (August 30 2009 )
Neerattupuram Pamba Boat Race (August 23 2010
Payipad Boat Race: . Payippad Jalolsavam ( August 23, 24, 25, 2010 )
Tourism boat race kottayam
Chengannur Erapuzha Chatayam boat race (August 25th 2010)
Karuvatta Boat Race (August 26th 2010)
Aranmula Uthrittadi boat race august 27th 2010
Kayamkulam boat race ( 4th saturday of august every year) 28th August 2010
Thazhathangadi (kottayam) boat race ( August 29 , 2010)
Mahakavi Kumaranasan Smaraka Jalolsavam at Pallana (August 29 , 2010)
Goshala Krishna boat race august 30 2010
Mother Teresa Trophy Boat race:

Santhosh Trophy boat race
Kallada Boat Race, kollam (41st edition september 19th 2010)

Kavanattinkara,
Kumarakom-Arpookara Vanitha Jalamela,
Kottapuram
Kodungallur

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

Snake Boat races 2007