Vallam kali ('' vaḷḷaṃ kaḷi'', literally: boat game) also known as Snake Boat Race is a traditional

boat race Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other w ...

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. It is a form of

canoe racing A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the ter ...

, and uses

paddle A paddle is a handheld tool with an elongated handle and a flat, widened distal end (i.e. the ''blade''), used as a lever to apply force onto the bladed end. It most commonly describes a completely handheld tool used to propel a human-powered w ...

war canoe A war canoe is a watercraft of the canoe type designed and outfitted for warfare, and which is found in various forms in many world cultures. In modern times, such designs have become adapted as a sport, and "war canoe" can mean a type of flatwa ...

s. It is mainly conducted during the season of the

harvest festival A harvest festival is an annual celebration that occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times at different places. ...

Onam Onam ( ) is an annual Indian harvest festival celebrated predominantly by the Hindus of Kerala. A major annual event for Keralites, it is the official festival of the state and includes a spectrum of cultural events. Onam commemorates Vamana ...

in spring. Vallam kali includes races of many kinds of paddled longboats and 'snake boats'. Each team spends about 6 lakh rupees for the Nehru Trophy. The race of

chundan vallam Chundan vallam ('beaked boat'), known outside Kerala as Kerala snake boats, are one of the icons of Kerala culture used in the Vallamkali or boat race. Naval architecture Constructed according to specifications taken from the ''Sthapatya Ve ...

('snake boat', about 30-35 meter (100-120 feet) long with 64 or 128 paddlers aboard) is the major event and a major tourist attraction. Other types of boats which do participate in various events in the race are ''churulan vallam'', ''iruttukuthy vallam'', ''odi vallam'', ''veppu vallam'', ''vadakkanody vallam'' and ''kochu vallam''. The

Nehru Trophy Boat Race The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is an annual '' vallam kali'' held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India. ''Vallam Kali'' or ''Vallamkali''y literally means boat play/game, but can be translated to boat race in English. The most popul ...

is a popular vallam kali event held in the Punnamada Lake near

Alappuzha Alappuzha or Alleppey () is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in state of Kerala, India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in India which attracts millions of domestic and interna ...

. In an effort to aggrandise this sport and showcase Kerala's backwaters to the world, the Government of Kerala initiated IPL style regatta named

Champions Boat League A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, a ...

in 2019.

History

In Kerala, during an early 13th-century war between the feudal kingdoms of Kayamkulam and Chembakassery,

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...

Devanarayana of Chembakassery commissioned the construction of a war boat named ''

Chundan Vallam Chundan vallam ('beaked boat'), known outside Kerala as Kerala snake boats, are one of the icons of Kerala culture used in the Vallamkali or boat race. Naval architecture Constructed according to specifications taken from the ''Sthapatya Ve ...

'' and he tasked a famous carpenter of the day with the responsibility of creating it. Hence, the technical methods for creating these snake boats are around 8 centuries old. Of the snake boats still in use today, the Parthasarathi Chundan is the oldest model. Vallam kali has mainly been conducted during the season of the harvest festival Onam in Autumn. The race of chundan vallam is the major event. Vallam kali also includes races of many other kinds of traditional paddled longboats of Kerala, and is one of the major tourist attractions in the state.

Vanchipattu

''Vanchipattu'' (lit. 'boatsong') is the form of poetry in Malayalam language commonly used during vallam kali and related festivals. During Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali, the vanchipattu is performed by the participants for its significance in the rituals. Ramapurathu Warrier is considered to be the pioneer of the vanchipattu.

List of periodical vallam kali events

Major events

* Kandassankadavu boat race,

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...

in Punnamada Lake,

Triprayar boat race Thriprayar is a town in Thrissur District of Kerala, India. It is famous for the Thriprayar Temple. It is a part of Thrissur Metropolitan Area. It has one of the 4 temples which is visited in Nalambalam Yatra(Rama-Bharta-Lakshmana-Shaturghna). ...

, in

Conolly canal Conolly Canal, sometimes spelled as Canoly Canal, is the part of the West coast canal (WCC) network of Kerala and the canal was constructed by combining the rivers and streams along the coast with the intention of creating a vast waterway from Ko ...

, Triprayar, Thrissur * Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali at Aranmula,

Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 3 ...

President's Trophy Boat Race The President's Trophy Boat Race ( ml, പ്രസിഡന്റ്'സ് ട്രോഫി വള്ളം കളി) is a popular boat race held on the Ashtamudi lake in Kollam city on 1 November every year. The day marks the birth of th ...

Ashtamudi lake Ashtamudi Lake (''Ashtamudi Kayal''), in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala, is the most visited backwater and lake in the state. It possesses a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped (also described as octopus-shaped) ...

Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city ...

* Kallada Boat Race in

Kallada River Kallada River/Kulathupuzha " Puzha "means River.Its's the longest river in Kollam District, Kerala, India.The river originates in Kulathupuzha,a part of Western Ghats and flows west reaching Arabian Sea after travelling a distance of 120km. ...

* Pampa Boat Race in

Neerattupuram Neerattupuram is a place in Kuttanad, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India. It is a part of Thalavady Grama Panchayat, situated near the junction of Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts, at the confluence of Pamba and Manimala river ...

Champakulam Moolam Boat Race The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race is one of the oldest vallam kali (snake boat race) (after the Aranmula Boat Race) in Kerala state of south India. The race is held on the Pamba River, River Pamba on Moolam day (according to the Malayalam Era M.E ...

Kumarakom Boat Race The Sree Narayana Jayanthi Vallam Kali or Boat Race, at Kumarakom, Kerala is held in September every year during Onam festival. More than 1,000 oarsmen in boats of different sizes and shapes participate. Even though snake boats participate in th ...

Payippad Jalotsavam Payippad Vallaarattu, or Jalotsavam, is a three-day water festival conducted in Payippad Lake, 6 km from Haripad of Kerala state in south India. There is a close relation between this ''Payippadu Vallam Kali'' and Haripad Sree Subrahmanya ...

* Sree Narayana Boat Race in Karunagappally,

* Thazhathangadi Boat Race,

Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south ...

* Gothuruth Boat Race, in the

Periyar Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 1879 – 24 December 1973), revered as Periyar or Thanthai Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He is known as the 'F ...

Ernakulam Ernakulam () is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Many major establishments, including the Kerala High Court, the office of the Kochi Municipal Corporation a ...

* Piravom Boat Race in

Piravom Piravom is a municipality in Ernakulam district and a suburb of Kochi in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located with in 31 km southeast of Kochi city center, at the boundary of the Ernakulam and Kottayam districts. Piravom is famous for ...

Minor events

* Paravur Jalothsavam & Boat Race in Paravur Thekkumbhagam,

* ATDC Boat Race,

* Rajiv Gandhi Trophy boat race, Pulinkunnu * Neerettupuram Pampa Boat Race * Karuvatta Boat Race * Kavanattinkara Boat Race * Kumarakom Arpookara Vanitha Jalamela,

Kumarakom Kumarakom is a popular tourism destination located near the city of Kottayam (), in Kerala, India, famous for its backwater tourism. It is set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in the state of Kerala. History Kuma ...

* Mahatma Boat Race, Mannar,

* Kottapuram Boat Race, Kottappuram * Kodungallur and Kumaranasan Smaraka Jalotsavam,

Pallana Pallana is a village on the shore of Arabian Sea. It is also alongside the River Pallana. National Highway 66 runs nearby. It is made famous by the fact that it is the final resting place of the great Malayalam poet Kumaranasan. Asan Me ...

Indira Gandhi Boat Race The Indira Gandhi Boat Race takes place as a very colorful water sports-cum-festival held every year. It is held in the backwaters of Cochin city of Kerala during the last week of December. It is popular all over Kerala and various boat race compe ...

, in

Kochi Lake Vembanad is the longest lake in India, as well as the largest lake in the state of Kerala. The lake has an area of 230 square kilometers and a maximum length of 96.5 km. Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as Ve ...

* Kaithappuzhakkayal Boat Race, in Kaithappuzha Lake,

* Biyyam Kaayal Boat Race,

Ponnani Ponnani () is a municipality in Ponnani Taluk, Malappuram District, in the state of Kerala, India. It serves as the administrative center of the Taluk and Block Panchayat of the same name. It is situated at the estuary of Bharatappuzha (Ri ...

* Uthara malabar Boat Race, Thejaswini Lake,

Kasaragod Kasaragod () is a municipal town and administrative headquarters of Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1966, Kasaragod was the first municipal town in the district. It is the northernmost district of Kerala an ...

* EK.Nayanar Trophy -Malabar jalolsavam, Mangalassery, Kuppam river, Kannur district * Kuppam Boat Race, Kuppam River, Kannur District * Kattampally Boat Race, Kannur District * Madayi Boat Race, Pazhyangadi River, Pazhyangadi, Kannur District

References

External links

Dates of the various races and other useful traveller information

The great snake boat race of India

Aranmula

Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Google video of Vallamkalli

Online game on Vallamkali at www.gamezindia.com

Gothuruth Boat Race since 1938
{{Tourism in Kerala Paddling Boat races in Kerala Traditional sports of India Tourism in Kerala