Devas Chundan | A Contender in Kerala's Snake Boat Races

Other Snake Boats

Kalluparamban Chundan

The Kalluparamban Chundan is a boat to emerge from Kottayam district to challenge mighty vessels from Alappuzha. The chundan has beaten major contenders from Kuttanad and has even brought the Nehru Trophy to Kottayam.The Kalluparamban Chundan won the Nehru Trophy in its debut year 1970. They proved that it wasn't beginners' luck by winning the trophy in 1971, 1972 and 1973. The winning streak ended after 1973 until 1992 when they reclaimed the Nehru Trophy and repeated the win in 1993 also. That was their last victory in the prestigious event.Kalluparamban has won other races including the Thazhathangadi race, several times. The chundan's last Nehru Trophy race was in 2009. The famous snake boat is now out of the racing circuit. Loyal fans are still waiting for the glorious return of the Kalluparamban Chundan to the backwater arena.

See details

Ayaparambu Pandi

Ayaparambu Pandi Chundan, belongs to the residents of two neighbouring villages in Alappuzha district - Ayaparambu and Pandi. Snake boat race loving residents of both villages banded together for the formation of the Ayaparambu Pandi Boat Club. The team competed in many races on rented boats. In 1995, the villagers pooled in resources to build a boat of their own. The Ayaparambu Pandi Chundan started its debut with a win at the Pallana Jalolsavam (water fest). But the boat was irrevocably damaged during 1997's Payippad boat race.After a long wait of over a decade, the villagers came together to build a new snake boat in 2010. The new Ayaparambu Pandi Chundan was different in design and was launched in 2012. But it failed to make an impact in competitions. So, in 2016, the snake boat was refurbished. After that Ayaparambu Pandi Chundan has been registering impressive performances in various events.

See details

Karuvatta Chundan

Karuvatta village in Alappuzha district is home to two snake boats with similar names, owned by two rival organisations.Residents of Karuvatta bought the Pacha Chundan in 1976 and named it after their village. The boat underwent major repairs in 2009 and 2015. Apart from the funds amassed by the stakeholders, Kerala Tourism also supported the efforts with a grant. The boat is currently owned by 240 stakeholders. The Karuvatta Chundan is 123 feet long and it can hold 100 people.On its debut after the repairs, the snake boat came second in the Nehru Trophy championship.Meanwhile, a group of youngsters initiated the building of a new snake boat. The work commenced in December 2024. And the plan is to build a boat that can hold 83 paddlers. The new boat is expected to make its debut in the 2025 Nehru Trophy.

See details

Mahadevikkadu Kattil Thekkethil Chundan

The Mahadevikkadu Kattil Thekkethil Chundan is privately owned by brothers Kattil Thekkethil Bijoy Surendran and Brijesh Surendran of Mahadevikkadu village in Karthikappally Taluk, Alappuzha. Also known as Katti and Garudan, this snake boat was launched on July 15, 2015.At 126 feet, the Kattil Thekkethil Chundan is currently the longest snake boat. It has the capacity to hold 110 people. This is also the first snake boat to have been built using chess board blocks.On its debut year, the boat rowed by St Francis Boat Club reached the finals of the Nehru Trophy. The snake boat repeated the feat in 2016 with the Kerala Police team on the helm. Kattil Thekkethil clinched the coveted Nehru Trophy in 2022. The Pallathuruthy Boat Club team that rowed the boat registered a hat trick with this win.Garudan's victory lap didn't end here. They became the Champions Boat League toppers by winning eight of the 12 races in the competition in that year.

See details

See all