Payippad Boat Race | A 3-Day Kerala Water Festival

The Payippad Boat Race is a grand spectacle that has a unique place in Kerala’s water festivals. This is a three-day gala, a celebration that blends religion, culture and sportsmanship in a way that only Kerala can. The track is on Achankovil river in Payippad, a village in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. The race is organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board.

Like many of the water festivals in the state, the Payippad Boat Race is linked to a religious occurrence. According to local lore, the priest of a Muruga temple named Keezhthrikkovil in Harippad dreamt that there is an idol of Lord Subrahmanyan beneath a whirlpool on Kayamkulam lake. The dream proved to be true and the retrieved idol was dedicated to the Harippad temple.

The procession carrying the idol was welcomed at Payippad on the way to Harippad. The idol was kept at Aranazhika Nelpurakadavu until the Harippad temple’s renovations were over. After the works were completed, the idol was taken to Harippad and dedicated to the temple. The Payippad Boat Race is conducted in memory of this event.

Thiruvonam is the first day of the event. Competing Chundan vallams (snake boats) will gather at Aranazhika Nelpurakadavu and proceed towards the Harippad temple singing vanchipattu (boat songs). The race begins in the afternoon. Colourful water processions are held on Avittam, the second day. And the exciting final race is held on Chathayam, the third day.

The boat race is not limited to snake boats. There are competitions for other indigenous boats like iruttukuthi, veppu and churulan.

Other Boat Races

Neerattupuram Boat Race

Held on the Pamba River every year, the Uthradam Thirunal Neerattupuram Boat Race is conducted on Thiruvonam day. The boat race was founded in 1957 by a group of youngsters from Neerattupuram Library and Union Library. Also known as the Pamba water festival, the race is held on a 1km track at the Neerattupuram Water Stadium.An interesting aspect about this race is that it happens on the border of two districts - Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta. The north and east portion of the track is in Pathanamthitta while the south and west sides are in Alappuzha.The track is narrow and only three snake boats could race at a time. So, in the initial years, only veppu vallams (small snake boats) competed in the event for the Pulikeezhu Pampa Sugar Factory Trophy. Later, snake boats entered the race. Today, competitors vie for the Mamman Mappila Trophy, instituted by the Malayala Manorama Group.The race is currently managed by the Pamba Race Club founded by Kuttanad farmers in 1957.

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Nehru Trophy Boat Race

The Nehru Trophy or the Prime Minister's Trophy is like the Oscar of snake boat racing. Every boat racing club and every snake boat owner dreams of lifting this coveted cup every year. Held every year at the Punnamada backwaters in Alappuzha, the championship's origins trace back to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's state visit to Kerala in 1952. An exhibition boat race was held on December 22, 1952 to honour the premier's visit to Alappuzha. Nehru was so excited with the spectacle that he broke protocol and rode on the winning boat - the Nadubhagam Chundan - to Alappuzha city.After returning to Delhi, Nehru sent a silver trophy with his autograph and it was decided that the boat race would be held every year. The championship was later renamed as the Prime Minister's Trophy, but the event is still popular as the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.The first official Nehru Trophy Boat Race was held at Kainakari Meenappilli backwaters in 1954. Kavalam Chundan was the winner in the inaugural event. But adverse conditions led to the cancellation of this venue after this race. The organisers earmarked a 1,380-metre track on the Punnamada lake, making it the permanent venue for the event.The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is counted among Kerala's most celebrated sporting and cultural events, which attracts tourists from across the world. The race was inducted into Kerala Tourism's ambitious Champions Boat League (CBL). The season kickstarts with the Nehru Trophy race.

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Kumarakom Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi Boat Race

This annual race is held in the honour of Kerala's great social reformer and spiritual leader Sree Narayana Guru's visit to Kumarakom in Kottayam district. Guru was taken to Kumarakom from Alappuzha via boat accompanied by a big procession for the function in 1903. He dedicated the idol, which was a picture of Lord Subrahmanyan, at the Sri Kumarakamangalam Temple. The annual Kumarakom Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi Boat Race is held as a gala to commemorate the Guru's grand arrival in 1903. The competition began in 1952 and is held on a 900-metre track at Kottathodu. The race begins after a grand water procession in decorated boats carrying an idol of Lord Subrahmanyan and a picture of Sree Narayana Guru. Iruttukuthis (smaller snake boats) are more prominent in this event than chundan vallams (snake boats). The race enjoys huge participation with over 1,000 rowers matching their skills aboard major snake boats and Iruttukuthis.

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Mahatma Mannar Boat Race

This annual boat race is held at Mannar in Kerala's Alappuzha district. Debuted in 1971, the event's name was derived from Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. The race is held on Chathayam, the fourth day of Onam, in the Malayalam month of Chingam.The race is held on the Nettayam river, which is a part of the Pamba river. The 1km track is 100 metres wide. The race happens from west to east and this part of the river is deep with strong undercurrents, making it a challenging track for competitors. Races are held in all boat classes in this competition, which is managed by the Mannar Boat Race Committee.The winner's trophy is instituted in the memory of A C Thomas, from the Mannar Arikupuram family, who was instrumental in founding this event.

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