Nehru Trophy Boat Race

High-adrenaline water regatta featuring the iconic snake boats (Chundan Vallams) powered by hundreds of synchronised oarsmen.

Commemorates the visit of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1952. Enchanted by the sight of the roaring snake boats, he leaped into one of them and later donated a silver trophy in the shape of a snake boat, giving birth to the formal annual racing event.

The tranquil backwaters of Alappuzha turn into an amphitheater of roaring crowds and synchronized oarsmen. Dozens of snake boats compete. Oarsmen wear traditional white dhotis (Mundu) and headbands, singing rhythmically to the beats of water drums while slicing through the water.

Before hitting the water, teams perform a ritualistic ceremony called Vallam Pooja, seeking blessings from local deities at village temples. Ceremonial processions of decorated boats (Chundans, Churulans, Odis) take place before the competitive heats begin.

The snake boats are treated with sacred reverence, kept in specialized thatched sheds (Vallampura). They are handled like living deities, and oarsmen must observe strict codes of cleanliness, abstaining from meat and alcohol during the weeks of rigorous training.

Descended from the naval battles fought by the feudal kingdoms of Ambalapuzha and Kayamkulam. In 1952 an impromptu race was held to welcome Prime Minister Nehru, and it became an annual fixture of state tourism soon after.

The air crackles with intense anticipation as thousands pack the banks of Punnamada Lake. Suddenly, the deep, thunderous rhythm of the Vanchippattu (boatmen songs) echoes across the water. Dozens of massive snake boats, each carrying over a hundred oarsmen rowing in lightning-fast unison, slice through the water, creating a sensory explosion of spray, chanting, and pure adrenaline.