The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted on the Punnamada lake in Alappuzha, in the Indian state of Kerala. This event is conducted on the second Saturday of August every year. The Punnamada is part of the Kerala backwaters. For the people of Kerala, the Boat Race is an event for celebration, marking the beginning of the monsoon season. Unfortunately, this year (in August 2018), Kerala witnessed a once in 100 years of flood and natural calamities caused by torrential rains. The Boat Race event was hence conducted 3 months behind schedule, on the 10th of November, 2018.

IT is such a fantastic sight to see many long and thin boats lined up for the action. Each boat has as many as 100 oarsmen to compete enthusiastically to come out victorious. In recent years, women’s groups are also participating. It really makes us all happy to see women advance to such levels, when this sport was once regarded as an men-only sports.

In August, 2018, the location where the race is conducted, was damaged by the flood waters. After the water levels had receded, the deposits were lying around causing bad smell. The general water transport was also avoided for a while, but Kerala has recovered from that flood by now.

People’s kind and compassionate mind, the speed at which things were done, the vitality etc., is the reason for the quick recovery of Kerala, back to normalcy.

Climate wise, Kerala state enters the pleasant season since October. Looking at the vitality and power of the boat race tells us that the the tourism industry that was a bit sluggish earlier, will now tide over the difficult times and come up stronger.