Ask a true-bred Keralite villager what his favourite local sport is. The chances are nine times out of ten, his answer will be - the boat-races. The picture shows a competitor at the Champakulam boat race, the first of the race season. This is the race that ignites the first spark of festivity, the race with which Kerala steps into a month of merriment and cheer. A time when the relatively sober Keralite lets his hair down to share moments of glory and defeat with a sense of passionate togetherness. The backwaters, a distinctive stamp of the State, provide the perfect arena for the gladiators on water while they are cheered on by an excited audience who throng verdant banks. An emphatic triumph of unity and tradition!