Kallada Boat Race | Onam's Grand Finale in Kollam

The Kallada Boat Race is an annual event held at Munroe Thuruthu in Kollam district. The race is held on the 28th day of Onam, which falls in the Malayalam month of Kanni. So, this is the last boat race during the Onam season.

As a prominent snake boat competition in south Kerala, the Kallada Boat Race attracts major snake boats and boat clubs to the event. The race is held on a 1,400-metre track on the Puthiraparambu Karuthrakadavu Nettayam in the Kallada river.

The race that enjoys a huge fan following among the local residents is now part of Kerala Tourism's Champions Boat League (CBL).

CBL Boat Races

Pandanad Boat Race

The Pandanad Boat Race is held at the namesake village in Chengannur Taluk in Alappuzha district. Celebrated as a water carnival by the residents of Chengannur, this race has been recently inducted into Kerala Tourism's Champions Boat League (CBL). The race is held on the Pandanad Mithramadam Nettayam on the Pamba river. Both chundan vallams (snake boats) and palliyodams (a variety of snake boats) participate in the event. Pandanad follows the tradition of Aranmula Palliyodams. The village boasts of five palliyodams representing five different karas or localities - Pandanad, Keezhuvanmazhy, Vanmazhy, Muthavazhy and Prayar. The event begins with a majestic procession involving all five palliyodams. Apart from the race, the festival hosts cultural events and symposiums.

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Kottappuram Boat Race

The Kottappuram Boat Race is one of the two prestigious snake boat races held in Kerala's Thrissur district. The race was launched 26 years ago and it is conducted on the Kodungalloor-Kottappuram Lake. The event was not held for several years in between due to organisational and financial challenges.The race got a new lease of life with the intervention of Kerala Tourism. Now the event is held every year as a water carnival. The Kottappuram Boat Race is also part of the Champions Boat League (CBL), which makes it one of the much-awaited water sports events in the state.

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Dharmadom Boat Race

The Champions Boat League, hosted on the Ancharakandi River in Dharmadam, Kannur, is one of the most captivating boat race events in North Malabar. Competitions like these play a key role in drawing both domestic and international visitors to the region.

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Piravom Boat Race

Launched in 1958, the Piravom Boat Race is one of the oldest snake boat races in Kerala. The founding of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race inspired the people of Piravom in Ernakulam district to have a similar event of their own. Conducted on the Muvattupuzha River, this is one of the hardest snake boat races because competitors have to paddle against the undercurrents. Initially, smaller vessels like odi or iruttukuthi and kadathu (ferry) boats participated in the race. In 1962, parunthuvalans or veppu vallams (a type of smaller snake boat) were introduced to the contest. The Parthasarathy Chundan was the first snake boat to participate in the race and in the later years other major snake boats tested their mettle against the currents of the Muvattupuzha River. The 27 sections of the Piravom Municipality is divided into 9 karas (localities) and the races are held under the names of each division. The race begins at Kalamboor Aattutheeram Park and ends at the finishing point near the Piravom bridge. Every year, boat clubs from across the state arrive here to showcase their skills and raw power to win this title, which is now part of Kerala Tourism's Champions Boat League (CBL).

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