Snake Boat Race, known as Vallamkali in Kerala is the most captivating facet of
the festival of Onam. It is also promoted as one of the major tourist
attractions in the state and draws a lot of local, national as well as
international crowd. Vamakalli or the boat race has now been an integral part of
Kerala’s identity and its popularity has been soaring with each passing year.
The credit of its growing popularity can be given to India’s first Prime
Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru who was enamored by this event and in order to
encourage it took initiatives to start a national competition for this sport.
The Legend
There is one interesting story attached with this event. It is said that once
upon a time, there was a man named Katoor Mana who offered his daily prayers
about 10 kilometers up the river Pamba from Aranmulla. One similar day after
completing his worship, he was waiting to feed a poor man in order to complete
his worship rituals. When even after waiting for long, he did not get any one;
he simply closed his eyes and prayed to Lord Krishna.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a ragged boy standing near him. Katoor
became very happy and lovingly offered all the scrumptious items to the boy. To
his utter surprise, the boy disappeared after having the meal. He looked for the
boy here and there and then spotted him at the Aranmulla Temple but he gain
vanished from the spot. Katoor Mana then concluded that he was no ordinary boy
but the god himself.
So in on order to commemorate this event, he started bringing food to Aranmulla
temple every year during the time of Onam. In order to protect this food from
the river pirates, he asked Kovilans or snake boats to accompany him to the
place. As this news spread amongst people, more and more people came forward in
snake boats to protect him during the voyage. This is how the custom of a grand
carnival called Snake Boat Race began. It later took the form of an event on the
Onam festival.
The Boat
Vallamkali boats are not ordinary boats. There is a standard scale to make it.
It is about 100 feet long and has a seating capacity of 150 men. It is made up
of Anjili (Artocarpus hirsuta), or Kadamb (Naucleacadamba) wood. The boat is
designed in a way that its ends are shaped like cobra hoods. This is also the
reason that the boats are named Snake Boats. The boats are treated religiously
by the local people and thus meticulously crafted by skilled craftsmen with lots
of patience and hard work. Only men are allowed to touch this boat and one can
enter in to it only of he is bare feet (a token of regard).
Occasion of Onam
The exciting Snakeboat Races take place on the occasion of Onam at the Aranmulla
temple. The temple is built on the shores of the river Pamba. The spectacular
snakeboats or 'chundan vallams' that take part in the race are nearly 30 in
number and are owned by the villagers residing in the hamlets bordering the
river. The stretch of the race extends from the hills to the low lying plains
that measure up to about 40 km.
A community event in itself, the race has the oarsmen dressed in white dhotis
and turbans. They steer the boats while singing traditional boat songs to the
rhythm of the splashing of their oars in the water. The boats often have a
golden lace at the head and the flag and the ornamental umbrella at the center
and form an important part of this visual extravaganza. This Snake Boat activity
is considered to be much more important and pious than a mere game.
