The Mahatma Mannar Boat Race is annually organised on the day of Chathayam in the month of Chingam. The race derives its name from Mahatma Gandhi and was first organised in 1971. The track is of 1 km length and is located in the Pampa river which flows through Mannar in Alappuzha district and Kadapra Panchayat in Pathanamthitta district. The width of the track here is nearly 100 metres. The race is organised form west to east.
The Chundan boat that comes first in this race is awarded a trophy instituted in the memory of A. C. Thomas who was a member of the Mannar Arikupuram family. Competitions are held for all kinds of race boats. An organisation named Mannar Jalolsava Samithi is in charge of organising the event.