Vallam Kali (vaḷḷaṃ kaḷi, literally: boat game), also known as Snake Boat Race, is a traditional boat race in Kerala, India. It is a form of canoe racing, and uses paddled war canoes. It is mainly conducted during the season of the harvest festival Onam in spring. Vallam kali includes races of many kinds of paddled longboats and 'snake boats'. Each team spends about lakhs for the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
The race of chundan vallam ('snake boat', about 30-35 meter (100-120 feet) 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 Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a popular vallam kali event held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India.
In an effort 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 and Chembakassery, King Devanarayana of Chembakassery commissioned the construction of a war boat named Chundan Vallam and he 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 (lit. 'boatsong') is the form of poetry in Malayalam language commonly used during vallam kali and related festivals. During Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali, the vanchipattu is performed by the participants for its significance in the rituals. Ramapurathu Warrier is considered to be the pioneer of the vanchipattu.
List of periodical vallam kali events
Kandassankadavu Boat Race, Thrissur district
Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha district
Triprayar Boat Race, in Conolly Canal, Triprayar, Thrissur district
Aranmula Uthrattathi Vallamkali at Aranmula, Pathanamthitta district
President's Trophy Boat Race in Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam
Kallada Boat Race in Kallada River, Kollam district
Pampa Boat Race in Neerattupuram
Champakulam Moolam Boat Race
Kumarakom Boat Race
Payippad Jalotsavam
Sree Narayana Boat Race in Karunagappally, Kollam district
Thazhathangadi Boat Race, Thazhathangadi, Kottayam district
Gothuruth Boat Race, in the Periyar, Ernakulam district
Piravom Boat Race in Piravom
Thuruthippuram Boat Race, in the Periyar, Ernakulam district
Minor events
Paravur Jalothsavam & Boat Race in Paravur Thekkumbhagam, Kollam district
ATDC Boat Race, Alappuzha district
Rajiv Gandhi Trophy Boat Race, Pulinkunnu
Neerettupuram Pampa Boat Race
Karuvatta Boat Race
Kavanattinkara Boat Race
Kumarakom Arpookara Vanitha Jalamela, Kumarakom
Mahatma Boat Race, Mannar, Alappuzha
Kottapuram Boat Race, Kottappuram
Kodungallur and Kumaranasan Smaraka Jalotsavam, Pallana
Indira Gandhi Boat Race, in Kochi Lake, Ernakulam district
Kaithappuzhakkayal Boat Race, in Kaithappuzha Lake, Ernakulam district
Biyyam Kaayal Boat Race, Ponnani
Uthara Malabar Boat Race, Thejaswini Lake, Kasaragod district
E. K. Nayanar Trophy - Malabar Jalolsavam, Mangalassery, Kuppam River, Kannur district Kuppam Boat Race, Kuppam River, Kannur district Kattampally Boat Race, Kannur district Madayi Boat Race, Pazhayangadi River, Pazhayangadi, Kannur district
See also
Sport in India - overview of Sports in India. Chundan Vallam Aranmula Kottaram Kerala backwaters