Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Boat races are part of the tradition of Kerala. Nehru trophy boat race is one of the main boat races in Kerala. It is held in Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha on every second Saturday the month of August. Nehru Trophy boat race started in the year 1952. Of the boat races in Kerala, Nehru trophy is the most popular one, locally known as Nehru trophy Vallom Kalli.  This year 67th Nehru trophy boat race will be conducted on  31st August 2019. 

Nehru Trophy Vallom Kali is a boat race carried in snake boat(chundan valloms), along with the boat race the rowers sing the song called Vanchipattu. The story behind the boat race is that Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visited Kerala in the year 1952 and he was fascinated by the beauty of the snake boat and slept in the boat. He then gifted a silver snake boat trophy to them. After this, the boat race is known as Nehru Trophy boat race and the winner will be awarded the silver snake boat trophy.

Many gather to witness the boat race, including foreigners and it is considered as one of the well-received boat races in Kerala.