Snake Boat Races
Bringing alive the tranquil backwaters of Kerala during July to September – the famous Snake Boat Races are held in association with Onam – the harvest festival held in August/September.
Made by skilled craftsmen – the Snake Boats, or Chundanvallams, derive their name from one end that has been shaped like a cobra’s head – approximately 100 foot long made from local wood each Snake Boat belongs to a village and is meticulously maintained with great pride.
The major boat race being the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, thousands of people throng the banks of the beautiful Punnamada backwaters of Alappuzha to watch this spectacular race and join in the festive spirit - held in August each year since 1952 to honour the late Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru who gave the winning trophy to the people of Alappuzha.