Kerala tourism Guide

The Nehru trophy boat race started with the visit of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to Alappuzha in 1952. He was so excited and thrilled in seeing the snake boat race he went back to Delhi and donated a silver trophy of a snake boat on an abacus with an inscription saying "To the winners of the boat race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore Cochin”. This trophy is now known as the Nehru Trophy boat race in memory of the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. People from all walks of life from far and near including tourists from abroad collect at the banks of Punnamada Lake to enjoy this water fiesta. This event apart from the snake boat race has many ceremonial water processions, spectacular floats and decorated boats which take part in this water carnival. For the people of this region victory of their village boat is a prestige issue which is celebrated for months. The race course have a length of 1370 meters divided into various tracks and when the snake boats advance through these tracks appears like fast moving snakes with oarsmen splashing their oars in synchronization to the beats of chants and drums.