The Story behind Nehru Trophy Boat Race
The Nehru trophy boat race is steeped in the history of Kerala. Kerala was at one time and a land split into many small fiefdoms,ruled by Kings. There were always skirmishes between these neighboring states and the war was often settled in the backwaters and canals that made up a major chunk of Kerala at that time.
One of the more enterprising of these warrior Kings built himself a superior canoe to give him the edge over his adversaries in the river battles and that was the advent of the snake boat, so the legend goes. Over time, each village had their own snake boat or ‘chundans’ as they are called locally.
As time passed on, the wars were settled and Kerala become one state.The snake boats were now plied for the more entertaining use in Snake boat races competition.
The first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Kerala in 1952 and was taken to see a snake boat race competetion in the picturesque Alappuzha Backwaters. Enthralled by what he witnessed, he immediately donated a trophy and hence forth, the event came to be known as the Nehru Trophy boat race.
The monsoon heralds the beginning of the boat race season. The first of these race is the Champakulam boat race held usually in the first week of July. Other notable boat races are the Payippad, Pulinkunnu and Kayamkulam races along with races at other venues. The Aranmula race is noteworthy as it is steeped in religion. Boat race seasons ends in September.
The most important and eagerly awaited race is of course the 'Nehru Trophy Boat Race'.
Source Website:- http://www.alleppeysnakeboatrace.com/histroy-of-nehru-trophy-boatraces.html
