Vallam kali ('' vaḷḷaṃ kaḷi'', literally: boat game), also known as snake boat race, is a traditional

boat race The Boat Race is an annual set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club, traditionally rowed between open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England. It is also known as the Uni ...

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. It is a form of

canoe racing A canoe is a lightweight, narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles. In British English, the term ' ...

and uses

paddle A paddle is a handheld tool with an elongated handle and a flat, widened end (the ''blade'') used as a lever to apply force onto the bladed end. It most commonly describes a completely handheld tool used to propel a human-powered watercraft by p ...

war canoe A war canoe is a watercraft of the canoe type designed and outfitted for warfare, and which is found in various forms in many world cultures. In modern times, such designs have become adapted as a sport, and "war canoe" can mean a type of flatwa ...

s. It is mainly conducted in spring during the season of the

harvest festival A harvest festival is an annual Festival, celebration that occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times at different ...

Onam Onam () is an annual harvest and Hindus, Hindu cultural festival celebrated mostly by the people of Kerala. A major annual event for Malayalis, Keralites, it is the official festival of the state and includes a spectrum of cultural events. H ...

. Vallam kali includes races of many kinds of paddled longboats and 'snake boats'. Each team spends about

lakh A lakh (; abbreviated L; sometimes written lac) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 105). In the Indian 2, 2, 3 convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000. F ...

s for the

Nehru Trophy Boat Race The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is an annual ''vallam kali'' held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India. ''Vallam Kali'' or ''Vallamkali''y literally means boat play/game, but can be translated to boat race in English. The most popula ...

. The race of chundan vallam ('snake boat', about long with 64 or 128 paddlers aboard) is the major event and a major tourist attraction. Other types of boats which do participate in various events in the race are ''Churulan Vallam'', ''Iruttukuthy Vallam'', ''Odi Vallam'', ''Veppu Vallam'', ''Vadakkanody Vallam,'' and ''Kochu Vallam''. The

is a popular vallam kali event held in the Punnamada Lake near

Alappuzha Alappuzha (, आलप्पुळ) or Alleppey is a municipality and town on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is the district headquarters of the district, and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvana ...

. To aggrandise this sport and showcase Kerala's backwaters to the world, the Government of Kerala initiated IPL style regatta named Champions Boat League in 2019.

History

In Kerala, during an early 13th-century war between the feudal kingdoms of

Kayamkulam Kayamkulam () is a municipality in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is located south of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kayamkulam has ...

and Chembakassery,

King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

Devanarayana of Chembakassery commissioned the construction of a war boat named '' Chundan Vallam'' and tasked a famous carpenter of the day with the responsibility of creating it. Hence, the technical methods for creating these snake boats are around 8 centuries old. Of the snake boats still in use today, the Parthasarathi Chundan is the oldest model. Vallam kali has mainly been conducted during the season of the harvest festival Onam in Autumn. The race of chundan vallam is the major event. Vallam kali also includes races of many other kinds of traditional paddled longboats of Kerala, and is one of the major tourist attractions in the state.

Vanchipattu

''Vanchipattu'' () is a form of poetry in the Malayalam language that is commonly used during vallam kali and related festivals. During

Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali The Aranmula Boat festival is the oldest river boat festival in Kerala, the southwestern State of India is held during Onam (August–September). It takes place at Aranmula, near Sri Parthasarady Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Arjuna i ...

, the vanchipattu is performed by the participants for its significance in the rituals.

Ramapurathu Warrier Ramapurathu Warrier (1703–1753) is considered to be the pioneer of the " Vanchippattu" or Boat song form of poetry in Malayalam language. ''Vanchippattu'' is a poetic form of folk origin composed entirely in the Dravidian metre ''nathonnata''. ...

is considered to be the pioneer of the vanchipattu.

List of periodical vallam kali events

Kandassankadavu Boat Race The Kandassankadavu Boat Race (Malayalam: കണ്ടശ്ശാംകടവ് ജലോത്സവം) is a popular ''Vallam Kali'' held in the Enamakkal Lake and Conolly Canal in Kandassankadavu of Thrissur District, Kerala, India. The r ...

Thrissur district Thrissur (), anglicised as Trichur, is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is situated in the central region of the state. Spanning an area of about , th ...

in Punnamada Lake,

Alappuzha district Alappuzha district (), is one of the 14 Districts of Kerala, districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It was formed as Alleppey district on 17 August 1957, the name of the district being changed to ''Alapp ...

Triprayar Boat Race The Triprayar Boat Race (Malayalam: തൃപ്രയാര്‍ ജലോത്സവം) is a popular ''Vallam Kali'' held in the Conolly Canal in Triprayar of Thrissur District, Kerala, India India, officially the Republic of In ...

, in

Conolly Canal Conolly Canal, sometimes spelled as Canoly Canal, is the part of the West coast canal (WCC) network of Kerala and the canal was constructed by combining the rivers and streams along the coast with the intention of creating a vast waterway from K ...

Triprayar Thriprayar is a town in Thrissur District of Kerala, India. It is famous for the Thriprayar Temple. It is a part of Thrissur Metropolitan Area. It has one of the 4 temples which is visited in Nalambalam Yatra(Rama-Bharta-Lakshmana-Shaturghna). ...

* Aranmula Uthrattathi Vallamkali at

Aranmula Aranmula is a temple town in the state of Kerala, India. It is known as the cultural capital of Pathanamthitta district, located at a distance of around 116 km from Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, it is situated on the banks of t ...

Pathanamthitta district Pathanamthitta District (), is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. The district headquarters is in the town of Pathanamthitta. There are four municipalitie ...

President's Trophy Boat Race The President's Trophy Boat Race is a popular boat race held on the Ashtamudi lake in Kollam city on 1 November every year. The day marks the birth of the Indian state of Kerala, known as Kerala Piravi. This is the most popular of the races ...

Ashtamudi Lake Ashtamudi Lake (''Ashtamudi Kayal, ml: "അഷ്ടമുടിക്കായൽ" ''), in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala is a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped (also described as octopus-shaped) water body. ...

Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...

Kallada Boat Race The Kallada Jalotsavam (കല്ലട ജലോത്സവം)is a popular Vallam Kali (boat race) held on the Kallada River at Munroe Thuruthu on 28 days after Onam (28 aam Onam) in Indian state of Kerala. The boat race is conducted along th ...

Kallada River The Kallada River is the longest river in Kollam District, Kerala, India. The river originates in Kulathupuzha, in the Western Ghats, and flows west, reaching the Arabian Sea after traveling a distance of . River Course The Kallada originate ...

Kollam district Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 List of districts in Kerala, districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major La ...

* Pampa Boat Race in

Neerattupuram Neerattupuram is a place in Kuttanad, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India. It is a part of Thalavady Grama Panchayat, situated near the junction of Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta district, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam district, Kottayam districts, at ...

Champakulam Moolam Boat Race The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race is one of the oldest vallam kali (snake boat race) (after the Aranmula Boat Race) in Kerala state of south India. The race is held on the River Pamba on Moolam day (according to the Malayalam Era M.E) of the M ...

Kumarakom Boat Race The Sree Narayana Jayanthi Vallam Kali or Boat Race, at Kumarakom, Kerala is held in September every year during Onam festival. More than 1,000 oarsmen in boats of different sizes and shapes take part. Even though snake boats participate in th ...

Payippad Jalotsavam Payippad Vallaarattu, or Jalotsavam, is a three-day water festival conducted in Payippad Lake, 6 km from Haripad of Kerala state in south India. There is a close relation between this ''Payippadu Vallam Kali'' and Haripad Sree Subrahmanya ...

* Sree Narayana Boat Race in

Karunagappally Karunagappally is a municipality in the Kollam district of Kerala, India. It is 24 km north of Kollam and south of Alappuzha. Karunagappally taluk consists of Alappad, Ochira, Adinad, Karunagappally, Thazhava, Pavumba, Thodiyoor, Kallalibh ...

* Thazhathangadi Boat Race, Thazhathangadi,

Kottayam district Kottayam () is one of List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. Kottayam district comprises six municipal towns: Kottayam, Changanassery, Pala, Kerala, Pala, Erattupetta, Ettu ...

* Gothuruth Boat Race, in the

Periyar Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 187924 December 1973), commonly known as Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician. He was the organizer of the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam and is considered the architect o ...

Ernakulam district Ernakulam (; ISO: ''Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ'') is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala, and takes its name from the Ernakulam, eponymous city division in Kochi. ...

* Piravom Boat Race in

Piravom Piravom () is a town and Municipalities of Kerala, municipality in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. It is located 30 km from Ernakulam, the nearest city and south of the district collectorate in Thrikkakara.The Piravom Road Railway Sta ...

* Thuruthippuram Boat Race, in the

Minor events

* Paravur Jalothsavam & Boat Race in

Paravur Thekkumbhagam Thekkumbhagam or Thekkumbhagom is the western coastal town of Paravur municipality in the Kollam district of Kerala, India. It is located at the South-western tip of Kollam's coastal area. It is in the Arabian Sea coast. Thekkumbhagam- Kappil ...

* ATDC Boat Race,

* Rajiv Gandhi Trophy Boat Race, Pulinkunnu * Neerettupuram Pampa Boat Race * Karuvatta Boat Race * Kavanattinkara Boat Race * Kumarakom Arpookara Vanitha Jalamela,

Kumarakom Kumarakom is a tourism destination near the city of Kottayam in Kerala, India. It is near the Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in the state of Kerala. In January 2023 ''The New York Times'' mentioned Kumarakom's backwater tourism. Climate Kum ...

* Mahatma Boat Race,

Mannar Mannar may refer to the following places: India * Mannar, Alappuzha, a town in Chengannur Taluk, Kerala Sri Lanka * Mannar District, one of 25 districts in Sri Lanka ** Mannar Island, an island within the district ** Mannar Bridge, a bridge conne ...

* Kottapuram Boat Race, Kottappuram * Kodungallur and Kumaranasan Smaraka Jalotsavam, Pallana *

Indira Gandhi Boat Race The Indira Gandhi Boat Race takes place as a very colorful water sports-cum-festival held every year. It is held in the backwaters of Cochin city of Kerala during the last week of December. It is popular all over Kerala and various boat race comp ...

, in Kochi Lake,

* Kaithappuzhakkayal Boat Race, in Kaithappuzha Lake,

* Biyyam Kaayal Boat Race,

Ponnani Ponnani () is a Nagar Palika (Municipality), municipality in Ponnani Taluk, Malappuram District, in the state of Kerala, India. It serves as the administrative center of the Taluk and Block Panchayat of the same name. It is situated at the est ...

* Uthara Malabar Boat Race, Thejaswini Lake,

Kasaragod district Kasaragod ( (, , ; English: ''Kassergode'') is one of the 14 districts in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Its northern border Thalappady is located just 9 km south to Ullal, which is the southernmost portion of the major port city ...

* E. K. Nayanar Trophy - Malabar Jalolsavam, Mangalassery,

Kuppam River The Kuppam River is a river mainly within the Kannur district of the Indian state of Kerala, although a smaller section of the river is in Karnataka. Course The Kuppam River originates in the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary of Kodagu district, ...

Kannur district Kannur () is one of the 14 Districts of Kerala, districts along the west coast in the state of Kerala, India. The city of Kannur is the district headquarters and gives the district its name. The old name, Cannanore, is the anglicized form of th ...

* Kuppam Boat Race, Kuppam River,

* Kattampally Boat Race,

* Madayi Boat Race, Pazhayangadi River,

Pazhayangadi Pazhayangadi (Also called Payangadi), is a small township, approximately north of district headquarters Kannur, south of Payyanur and west of Taliparamba in the India, Indian state of Kerala. In the local language of Malayalam it literally ...

References

External links