One of the most exciting events to be held in Punnamada Lake in Alleppey is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, which is a yearly competitive boating event held on the second Saturday of every August, during the Onam festival. The most popular event is the Snake Boat Race, which is a thrilling event to watch as well as participate in. 100-120 feet long canoe-like boats make serpentine movements through the water, thereby popularising the name. Other categories of boats which participate in various events of the race are Churulan Vallam, Iruttukuthy Vallam, Odi Vallam, Veppu Vallam (Vaipu Vallam), Vadakkanody Vallam and Kochu Vallam.
Celeberation Date: Second Saturday of August during Onam.
Location: Punnamada Lake, AlleppeyTrack Length: 1400 M (4 tracks of 10 M. wide from East)No. of Teams: 79Chundan:Amaram - 5 PersonsNilakkar - 5 PersonsTotal no. of team members - 111Online Ticket Platforms: https://nehrutrophy.nic.in/
Things to Know:
Age Limit is 10+
Tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded
Parking at Muncipal Stadium, north of Zillah Court Bridge
Reach the boat jetty by 11:00 AM
Ticket Charges: (subject to change, check the official website for accurate prices)
| SL.NO. | CATEGORY OF TICKETS | RATE |
| 1 | Tourist Gold (Admit 1) | INR 3000/- |
| 2 | Tourist Silver (Admit 1) | INR 2000/- |
| 3 | Rose Corner (Admit 2) | INR 1500/- |
| 4 | Rose Corner (Admit 1) | INR 800/- |
| 5 | Victory Lane (Admit 1) | INR 500/- |
| 6 | All View (Admit 1) | INR 300/- |
| 7 | Lake View Gold(Admit 1) | INR 200/- |
| 8 | Lawn (Admit 1) | INR 100/- |
The Snake Boats
The highlight of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the spectacular display of Chundan Vallams, traditional longboats known as snake boats. These elegantly crafted wooden vessels can stretch up to 100 feet and accommodate over a hundred rowers. The boats are adorned with vibrant silk parasols, and rowers participate with unmatched enthusiasm and synchronized rowing techniques.A Cultural Extravaganza
Months before the race, the participating snake boat teams undergo rigorous training, honing their skills and teamwork. The entire town of Alleppey comes alive with festivities, traditional music, and dance in the lead-up to the grand event. The electrifying atmosphere reaches its zenith on race day as thousands gather along the banks of Punnamada Lake to witness the exhilarating competition.History of Nehru Trophy Boat Race
The first boat race, conducted in honour to welcome the then Prime Minister of India - Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru - to Alleppey, took place in 1952. Supposedly when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru came to see the event, he got so involved in the competition that he jumped in one of the boats which later won the race. Since then, the event has been called Nehru Trophy Snake Boat race. The men rowing the boats and cheerleaders motivating them is a sight to witness. The winners get a Silver Trophy (a replica of a snake boat on a wooden abacus), donated by Jawaharlal Nehru with the words “To the winners of the boat race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore Cochin” engraved on the trophy, which is now known as Nehru Trophy.With a footfall of around 2 lakhs people coming from all corners of India, and even abroad, this festival is the most awaited of all. Several pavilions have been created for spectators. Even security is increased to ensure a smooth race. Even though Kerala is forecasted with rains, the race will be held without any delay for which training seasons are being conducted in the backwaters. There will be 6 rounds in which the newly appointed nine boat clubs of Champion’s Boat League will also be participating. CBL will be kicked off at the Nehru Trophy Boat Race and will go on till November 1 with the winner taking home a whooping INR 6 Crores as prize money.
Let us know how excited you are to attend this event in the comments below!