Karichal Chundan | Kaari, the Emperor of the Waters

The Karichal Chundan is another evergreen star of Kerala's backwater racing circuit. Built in 1970 and launched on September 8, 1971, the boat is also known as 'Kaari' and 'Emperor of the Waters'. In the last 50 years, Karichal Chundan has won 16 Nehru Trophies.

Karichal won its first Nehru Trophy in 1974. The boat achieved a hat-trick by winning in the next two years as well. Victories in 1982, 1983 and 1984 gave Karichal Chundan its second hat-trick. The fact that every team that has ridden this boat has won the Nehru Trophy, adds to its legendary status.

Karichal Chundan has reached the Nehru Trophy finals for an astounding 33 times and it has won the championship 16 times, including the 2024 race.

Over the last 50 years, the Karichal Chundan has undergone several repairs and renovation works. The last round of renovations on the boat was done in the year 2020. While maintaining its old form, significant changes were made to the boat, making it practically a new chundan vallam.

Other Snake Boats

Cheruthana Chundan

Cheruthana is a small village in Alappuzha district, surrounded by the Pamba and Achankovil rivers. According to local history, the snake boat was introduced here in the 1800s.The Cheruthana Chundan started participating in competitive races in the 70's. This boat won several major races and was active until 1981. Despite its active and strong presence in the snake boat race arena, this boat couldn't win the Nehru Trophy.The new Cheruthana Chundan was launched in 1982 and it was renowned for its aesthetic beauty among chundan fans. The boat has won at Payippad, Mannar and Karuvatta several times over the years. In 2004, the skilled rowers of Kumarakom Town Boat Club earned the boat its first Nehru Trophy win. The Cheruthana Boat Club repeated the feat several times over in later years.

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Anari Puthen Chundan

The Anari village in Alappuzha district is a legacy participant of the famed Payippad Jalolsavam (water fest) from the time of the event’s inception. The villagers entered the snake boat race with a refurbished palliyodam (a large snake boat) bought from Aranmula in 1954. The Anari Chundan is co-owned by the farmers, middle income families and NRIs hailing from this hamlet in Cheruthana Panchayat. The villagers replaced the old boat in 1986, but it didn't win any significant titles.The villagers sold the old boat and commissioned the construction of a new one. The new Anari Chundan emerged victorious in major races like Payippad, Kallada, Piravom, Thazhathangadi, Karuvatta, Kannetty, Pallana and the President's Trophy. Though the boat made it into the Nehru Trophy finals four times, victory eluded it.Anari residents refurbished the new chundan and relaunched it in 2021, after a decade of its debut. The boat is still in pursuit of the Nehru Trophy championship.

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St. Pius X Chundan

If St George Chundan is called the 'Saint', St Pius X Chundan is known as 'The Saint & Team' by the people of Kuttanad. The snake boat was built by the members of the Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM) unit at St Pius X church in Mankombu, Alappuzha.After tasting back-to-back victories in the veppu vallam (a smaller traditional boat that was used to carry food for soldiers travelling on snake boat) races at the Nehru Trophy from 2009 to 2013, motivated the team to enter the snake boat race.After failing to procure a snake boat for a race, the club members decided to build one of their own. The new St Pius X Mankombu Chundan was launched on July 18, 2014.The snake boat is 123-feet long and five feet wide. It can hold 87 paddlers, 5 steersmen and 7 choristers. St Pius X reached the Nehru Trophy finals in 2015 and won in the losers’ final clash in 2016.

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Devas Chundan

The Devas Chundan is from Thrikkunnapuzha in Alappuzha district. The boat is also known as the Backwater Knights team in Champions Boat League (CBL). The boat was launched in 2009 and the very next year, it won the Nehru Trophy championship. But it was a short-lived victory as they were disqualified for breaking the race rules. They reached the finals of the Nehru trophy in the year 2018 as well.The Devas Chundan was renovated in 2022. The refurbished boat continues to be a major contender in the snake boat race circuit.

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