2 weeks ago
Kerala’s Snake Boat Racers Defy Floods and Financial Strain
Snake boat racing is a traditional sport in Kerala, India.
Long wooden boats with raised ends race across the backwaters.
About 100 people row together in each boat while others chant and beat wooden poles.
Floods made life difficult for many villages, but the rowers kept practicing.
The boats are expensive to maintain, and their communities receive only limited financial help.
People still support the races because they represent local pride and identity.
Different religious communities take part and pray for the boats together.
The racers compete for the prestigious Nehru Trophy.
Around 20 wooden snake boats will race on a 1.4-kilometre course at Punnamada Lake.
Each boat is about 100 feet long and carries roughly 100 rowers.
Racers continued training despite deadly monsoon floods that killed 28 people across Kerala this month.
The Veeyapuram boat costs nearly 7 million Indian rupees to operate each season, while sponsorships and prizes cover only a fraction.
The centuries-old sport brings together Hindu, Christian and Muslim traditions and remains a source of village pride.
- Who
- About 20 teams of rowers, including the United Boat Club and its approximately 150 rowers.
- What
- A prestigious snake boat race, known as vallam kali, and the effort to preserve the tradition.
- Where
- Punnamada Lake in Kerala’s Alappuzha district, India.
- When
- The report was dated Aug. 19 and described races scheduled for that weekend during a three-to-five-month season.
- Why
- Teams compete for village pride and the Nehru Trophy while communities work to preserve a centuries-old cultural tradition.
More Support Needed
Tradition Must Continue
Financial future of the sport
More Support Needed
Veeyapuram shareholder Manikanthan Nair TM said boat-owning communities receive little government help while facing financial hardship and natural disasters.
Tradition Must Continue
Veeyapuram secretary Kamarudeen KA said the community would keep the boat running despite the challenges because it provides pride, recognition and identity.
Role of public promotion
More Support Needed
Boat owners argue that communities need greater assistance because the government uses snake boat races to promote tourism.
Tradition Must Continue
The article says the races continue to attract community funding, sponsorships and participation despite limited returns.
Key facts
- Race course
- 1.4 kilometres at Punnamada Lake
- Typical boat size
- About 100 feet long
- Rowers per boat
- Approximately 100
- Season length
- Three to five months
- Veeyapuram launch funding
- About 9 million Indian rupees raised in 2019
- Veeyapuram annual costs
- Nearly 7 million Indian rupees per season
- Recent flooding
- Floods killed 28 people and displaced thousands across Kerala this month
Quotes
Vakkachan Theverkkat
Captain of the United Boat Club, former senior oarsman
“It runs in my family. Our club has won the Nehru Trophy the most times and also lost it the most times.”
theprint.in
“There’s no barrier like religion or caste when it comes to the boat … we all pray for its success.”
theprint.in
Sources
Related news
Onam 2026 Celebrates Kerala’s Traditional Vallam Kali Boat Race
Why Kerala’s 2026 Snake Boat Races Deserve Your Itinerary
Alappuzha Prepares for 72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race
72nd Nehru Trophy Boat Race Opens at Punnamada Lake
Aroma Chundan Wins Nehru Trophy Boat Race Debut
US envoy Sergio Gor praises Kerala backwaters, watches snake boats
Kudumbashree Onam Sales Generate Rs 44.89 Crore Turnover
Kerala Government Orders Four SIT Probes Into Past Cases
Kerala Police Rush NEET-PG Registration Printout Before Exam
Four Decades Later, Sukumara Kurup Brunei Sighting Faces Doubts
