Thazhathangadi Boat Race | Kerala's Historic Snake Boat Race

Snake boat races are an integral part of Kerala's cultural heritage. The origin of the current format of systematic snake boat races began at Thazhathangadi in Kottayam district in 1887. Diwan Peshkar (Chief minister) Rama Rao of the Travancore kingdom is credited with founding the Thazhathangadi Boat Race.

The Thekkumkoor kings reigned Kottayam before the Travancore rule. They used to conduct boat races at Thazhathangadi for the entertainment of the royal family. During the Thekkumkoor rule, Thazhathangadi used to be the capital and commercial centre. It was Diwan Rama Rao who built the Kottayam town and shifted the capital there.

Being interested in snake boats and the utility of various kalivallams (sporting boats), the Diwan gave shape to the Thazhathangadi Boat Race. He divided the races based on different boat classes. This led to the birth of Kerala's first ever systematic public snake boat race. The event became a matter of pride for local residents whose enthusiasm turned it into an annual event.

In 1937, Sri Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma, the last ruling Maharaja of the Travancore kingdom, came to watch the race. Following his visit, the race was renamed as Sri Chithira Boat Race. Later in 1956, when Emperor Hayley Salasi of Ethiopia visited Kottayam, snake boat race was held in his honour at Thazhathangadi. After that the event was christened as Hayley Salasi Ever-rolling Trophy.

The boat race wasn't conducted for many years due to various reasons until the West Club at Kottayam took the initiative to revive the tournament in 1998. Every year since, the Thazhathangadi Boat Race is conducted by the Kottayam City Corporation annually where major clubs and snake boats vie for the Golden Jubilee Ever-rolling Trophy.

CBL Boat Races

Pulinkunnu Boat Race

The Pulinkunnu Boat Race is another major snake boat contest held in Kerala's Alappuzha district. The event is held at the Pamba river in the memory of India’s late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The premier had visited the Kuttanad area in 1985 and the local residents had organised a snake boat show to welcome him.After Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991, the residents of Pulinkunnu decided to hold an annual snake boat race in his honour. Kerala's former Chief Minster K Karunakaran sponsored the Rajiv Gandhi Trophy for this event, which is held on the last Saturday of August every year.All major boating clubs and snake boats vie for this trophy. This race has also been inducted into Kerala Tourism’s Champions Boat League (CBL).

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Cheruvathoor Boat Race

The Champions Boat League at Cheruvathoor in Kasaragod district is one of the most prominent boat races in North Malabar. Hosted on the scenic Tejaswini River at Kottappuram, the event showcases thrilling competitions between traditional boats such as Chundan Vallam, Churulan, and Irutukuthi. Adding to the festive spirit, a vibrant water procession is also organized as part of the celebrations.

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Kallada Boat Race

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).

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Beypore Boat Race

The Beypore Boat Race is a new entrant into Kerala's traditional water sports arena. The event was launched by Kerala Tourism to expand the indigenous sport to the northern regions of the state. The race is held on the Chaliyar River at the historic port town of Beypore in Kozhikode district. The race is part of Kerala Tourism's Champions Boat League, but it does not involve chundan vallams (snake boats). Only churulan vallams (small sporting boats) compete in this event. The race track is located between the old and new Feroke bridges. Teams from the northern regions participate in this race, which is quickly gaining popularity in the state. The Beypore Boat Race is held during Kerala Tourism's annual adventure water sports carnival - The Beypore Water Festival. A celebration of Malayali spirit and an international showcase of the state's potential as an adventure sports destination, this gala has become one of India's biggest water fests. Apart from the boat race, the event also hosts canoeing, kayaking, parasailing, speedboat racing, wooden log racing and timber rafting competitions. The Beypore Marina Beach and the eco-friendly Oceanus Chaliyam stretch on the opposite shore are the venues of this spectacular event, which also features rocking musical evenings, delectable food fest, international symposiums, kite festivals, naval and coast guard aviation displays and much more.

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