Race You To The End Of The Line!
That’ll be what the oarsmen tell each other at the upcoming Nehru Trophy Race 2010. And the practice sessions are underway on the Alleppey backwaters. This is one sport that demands physical and mental toughness. The rowers, musicians and the supervisors have to be absolutely disciplined and trained.
A lot of locals and tourists come to watch the rigorous practice sessions as much as the main event itself. They cheer their favourite teams in hordes. The popular name of the races is ‘Vallam Kali’. The Nehru Trophy Race takes place on the Punnamada Lake, in Alappuzha, The 58th edition of the race will be held on the 14th of this month.
The snake boats are specially designed and redesigned for the event. They are taken out months before the race and repairs made.
Several tour agencies have organised many packages for the month. You will be received at the airport and transferred to the respective hotels. A beautiful houseboat ride also awaits you at Alleppey. You can have your meals onboard. They also provide tours to Munnar, Thekkady, Kovalam and to most of the tourism destinations in India.
Chundan Vallams (Snake Boats) are the most famous category in the races. Other events you can spot use the Churulan vallam, Odi vallam, Vaipu Vallam, Vadakkanody Vallam and Kochu Vallam. The race is conducted on the second Saturday of August every year.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of Independent India visited Kerala in 1952. He was given a roaring reception by the people of Alleppey, escorted by the huge snake-boats. After returning to Delhi, Nehru donated a rolling trophy to be awarded to the winner of the race. The trophy is a replica of a snakeboat in silver, placed on wooden abacus on which the following words are inscribed, “To the winner of the boat race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore-Cochin.”
