Snake boat race

This is our oldest river boat race festival in Kerala. It is called Arumula boat race and it is conducted in Kerala – Southern West part of India held during the Onam festival in August or September.

These type of long boats move in pairs to the rhythm of full-throated singing and shouting and are watched by an exciting huge crowd from inside and outside India.

These long boats are called the snake boats or Chudan Vallam in local language. They are made of wood and most often are 100 to 138 ft in length.

The construction of the boat is step by step. First, select some suitable place to construct the boat. Then, a suitable tree is founded, preferably Anjili, cut down and brought to the location. When completed it resembles a snake with its hood raised. Its hull is built of planks precisely 83 feet in length and six inches wide.