| FESTIVALS
- Onam
-
Vallamkali (Boat Race) |
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For quick reading
about Onam
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| Vallamkali
or the Snake Boat Race
is the most enchanting facet of the festival of
Onam and an important tourist attraction of the
state of Kerala and draws a large number of domestic
and international tourists. |
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Its popularity is soaring up every year. Major boat
races are:
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Nehru
Trophy Boat Race.
This biggest and colorful event is held on the Punnamada
Backwaters of Alappuzha district on the second Saturday
in the month of August. It is Started in the year 1952,
in an impromptu fashion in honor of the late Prime Minister,
Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the biggest team sport event
in the world today. Spectacular boat pageantry held
before the actual race is the other highlight of the
event.
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Aranmulla
vallam kali.
This colourful spectacle of the race is performed on
the banks of the river Pamba at Aranmulla where a temple
dedicated to Lord Krishna.
Nearly 30 chundan vallams or snake boats participate
in the festival. Singing traditional boat songs, the
oarsmen, in white dhotis and turbans, splash their oars
into the water to guide their boats to cruise along
like a fish on the move. The golden lace at the head
of the boat, the flag and the ornamental umbrella at
the center make it a spectacular show of pageantry too.
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Each snake boat belongs
to a village along the banks of the River Pampa and
is worshipped like a deity. Every year the boat is
oiled mainly with fish oil, coconut shell, and carbon,
mixed with eggs to keep the wood strong and the boat
slippery in the water. The village carpenter carries
out annual repairs lovingly and people take pride
in their boat, which represents their village and
is amed after it.
The one end of the boat is shaped like cobra’s
head and it is from this shape that boat has derived
its name. Skilled craftsmen and a lot of patience
meticulously craft each boat. The boat is about 100
feet long and usually made of anjili (Artocarpus hirsuta),
or sometimes teak and kadamb (Naucleacadamba) wood
is also used.
Each boat comprises of 150 men of whom four are helmsmen,
25 men are singers and 125 are the actual oarsmen.
Women also participate with lot of enthusiasm in a
separate the boat race conducted for them.
Several other boat races at Thalavady, Kumarakam,
Mannar, Thiruvandoo, Neerattupuram etc. are also conducted
in the various rivers of Kerala and draw massive public
attention.
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Onam Songs |
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