The snake boats will herald the beginning of Kerala’s new tourism season as they vie for the Nehru Trophy and 5 lakh cash price on August 11 in Alappuzha, Kerela.
The 16 snake-boats are the pick of some 100-odd boats that will be seen during the event, competing for the Nehru Trophy, now in its 60th edition. Each is 120 to 140 feet long and is manned by 120 oarsmen. The other boats will be eligible for a different set of prizes.
Four other snake-boats will be on display at the event, alongwith four dragon boats, for the first time, said Tomy Pulikattil, one of the organisers of the event and a leading operator of houseboats in Alappuzha.
“Boat races have now become the most talked about event by tourists across the globe. The most common question asked by tourists is whether boat races will be happening when they visit Kerala,” Pulikattil said.
Kerala’s tourist season begins in the second week of August, peaks towards the end of December and continues till the end of January.
Tourism Minister A.P. Anil Kumar said that boat race has now become one of the most popular events for tourists.
“Historically and traditionally, boat races were mainly centred in districts of Alappuzha, Kollam and Kottayam. The popularity of this event has now spread to other districts and we are now planning to have more boat races in districts like Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur,” said Kumar.
Today, around two dozen boat races are held in the state, with the Nehru Boat Race being the most popular as per a report by IANS, Sanu George.
Seeing the popularity of the Nehru Boat Race, the state government has extended additional financial benefits for it.
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