synopsis

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a famous annual snake boat race held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kerala, India. It is one of the most prestigious and popular boat races in Kerala and attracts a large number of spectators from around the world.

Alappuzha: The much-awaited iconic Nehru Trophy Boat Race (NBTR) is all set to enthrall the people of Alappuzha on Saturday (Aug 12). The 69th edition of the race will be hosted at Punnamada Lake. The constant, loud playing of vanchipattu (boat songs) in the towns fills the air with their throbbing beats. 

This season, 72 boats, including 19 snake boats (chundan vallams), will compete for the coveted silver award in nine categories. The track is roughly 1,400 metres long and has four 10-meter-wide tracks coming from the East. The category with the highest spectator interest is the chundan vallam race. The snake boat category has five scheduled heats. The top four boats, as determined by the timings taken during heats, will advance to the final. The number of people who can operate a snake boat is 95.

The snake boat race will take place after the opening session at 11 a.m., after the heats round for smaller boats. The championship rounds will start at 4 pm.
Around 2,000 police personnel will be deployed to maintain law and order during the event. 

The current champion is the Pallathuruthy Boat Club from Alappuzha, which has won the Nehru Trophy three times in a row. They won the championship on the boat known as Mahadevikaad Kaatil Thekkethil the previous year.

The race takes place on the second Saturday of August every year and is named after India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who visited Kerala in 1952. During his visit, he was given a warm welcome by the people of Alappuzha and was presented with a snake boat race in his honor. In appreciation of the gesture, Nehru donated a silver trophy, which eventually became the iconic Nehru Trophy.

The race features elaborately decorated traditional Kerala boats called "chundan vallams" or snake boats. These boats can be over 100 feet long and are manned by a large crew of rowers who paddle in unison to the rhythm of traditional boat songs. The spectacle of these majestic boats racing each other on the tranquil waters of Punnamada Lake is a sight to behold.

The event is marked by festivities, music, dance performances, and a festive atmosphere that captures the essence of Kerala's unique culture.