The boat races of Kerala boast the gallantry of its people and their folk arts. All together it teaches the essence of life to live in harmony with people as well as nature.
Kerala's winding stretches of backwater are famous for their native boat races, held during harvest. The centuries-old Champakulam boat race is the first of the season and marks the beginning of a month of festivities.

Snake Boat Races Of Kerala
An event that is as much part of the land's ethos as the elephant pageant. A sport that signifies the excellent team spirit, integration and amity of the people of this backwater country. Occasions of great excitement that is a reflection of a vibrant people.

Usually a snake boat is manned by four helmsmen, 25 singers and 100 - 125 oarsmen who row in unison to the fast rhythm of the vanchipattu (song of the boatman). Thousands of people crowd the water's edge to cheer the huge black crafts as they slice through the waters to a spectacular finish. The oldest of these events have curious legends and myths attached to their origin. Myths closely linked to the rustic people and their beliefs. A calendar of the snake boat races of Kerala from June 2004 to September 2004,with a detailed description of four of the oldest and most .

Aranmula Boat Race Aranmula, Pathanamthitta
Venue: Pampa River Aranmula, Chengannur Held in strict adherence to tradition, the Aranmula Boat Race is a highly popular event. It is held on the Pampa River near the Sree Parthasarathy Temple at Aranmula in connection with the Onam celebrations. Getting there:
Nearest Railway Station: Chengannur, about 10km away
Nearest Airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 115 km away.

Payippad Boat Race
Venue: Payippad, AlappuzhaPayippad Boat race, which is on 30th August this year, is one of the major snake boat races in Kerala. 'Chundanvalloms' or snake boats are the major highlights of the Payippad Boat Race. The swift "Chundanvalloms" racing through the blue, crystalline waters are, indeed, a feast to the eyes of the spectators. Getting there:
Location: About 35 km from Alappuzha near Harippad
Nearest Railway Station: Harippad about 5km away
Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport, about 85 km from Alappuzha

Nehru Trophy Boat Race
Celebrated In : Alappuzha, puram, Kerala
Centre of Activity : Punnamada Backwaters
Held on : 2nd Saturday of August, Every year.
Commemmorate : The visit of Jawahar Lal Nehru to this place

Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the most famous of the boat races of Kerala. This annual regatta is held on the Punnamada Backwaters of Alappuzha district on the second Saturday of August.

The event is a commemoration of the visit to this place by the late Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1952. The spectacular races features magnificent snake boats or 'Chundans'. The boisterous and rhythmic boat songs or Vanchipattu work the spectators to a state of frenzy.

Champakulam Boat Race
Venue: Champakulam, about 26 km from Alappuzha. Kerala, with its winding stretches of backwaters, is famous for its native boat races held in different parts of the State in the harvest season. The Champakulam boat race, held on July 2 this year, is the first one during this season and has a tradition of centuries. The festivities include spectacular water floats, decorated boats, Vanchipattu - the song of the oarsmen and the most thrilling Chundanvallom race. Chundans are a category of boats over 100 feet in length with raised prows. They were first called snake boats by the foreign rulers.

How to get there:
Nearest railway station: Alappuzha.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 85 km from Alappuzha town

Other boat races held during Onam (August/September):
ATDC Boat Race, Alappuzha
Rajiv Gandhi Boat Race, Pulinkunnu
Neerettupuram Boat Race
Kumarakom Boat Race
Karuvatta Boat Race
Kavanattinkara Boat Race,
Kumarakom Arpookara Vanitha Jalamela,
Kottayam Mahatma Boat Race, Mannar
Thazhathangadi Boat Race,Kottayam
Kottapuram Boat Race,
Kodungallur and Kumaranasan Smaraka Jalotsavam, Pallana.
The Indira Gandhi Boat Race is held on the Ernakulam Lake during the Cochin Carnival in the last week of December.