Vallams(boats) in kerala

Back waters of Alappuzha is one of the most important tourist destination in India. Alappuzha is on a landmass between the broad Arabian sea and a network of rivers flowing into it.The presence of a lot of backwaters and canals makes water transport a popular means of transport in this district.Boats in a variety of shapes and sizes have traditionally been the main means of transport of men and materials in the Kerala backwaters since olden days.

Vallam Kali  is a traditional boat race in Kerala which is  mainly conducted during the harvest festival season Onam.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a popular Vallam Kali conducted on the second Saturday of August every year,held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India.The most popular event of the race is the competition of Chundan Vallams. Other categories of boats which participate in various events of the race are Churulan Vallam, Iruttukuthy Vallam, Veppu Vallam (Vaipu Vallam), Vadakkanody Vallam and Kochu Vallam.

Another famous vallam kali is Aranmula vallam kali. Vanchipattu (boat song) is the form of poetry in Malayalam language commonly used during Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali. Vanchipattu is performed by the participants for its significance in the rituals.

The famous boat race in Kerala are :

• Nehru Trophy – Held on the second Saturday of every August at Punnamda Lake
• Champakkulam Moolam Boat Race – on Moolam day of Malayalam month Mithunam
• Payippad Boat Race – held across 3 days  (Thiruvonam, Avittam , Chathayam)
• Aranmula Uttrattathi Boat Race -different from traditional boat races,”Palliyodam”s are taking part in this race instead of traditional snake boats.
• Other than these, there are many others such as Neerettupuram Boat Race, President’s Trophy Boat Race etc

Chundans (Snake boats) : Chundan Vallam which literally means beaked boat, for it has a pointed prow which stands four feet above the water and gives the impression of a beak.The Chempakasseri King, ruler of the Kayamkulam area was using the chundan vallam as his war ship in many battles. He was the one who had for the first time constructed the Chundan vallam and used it for war purposes. To support this Chundan vallam (warship) in the battles, he had started building other types of vallams/boats too.

This image describes parts of chundan vallam:

photo credit:Aranmula palliyoda seva sangam                                                          chundan vallam

Veppu vallams: Veppu vallams which was used to support the chundan vallams. It was also known as Parunth Vallam. All the items and food required for the soldiers in the Chundan vallam were carried by Veppu vallams for battles.

Iruttukutty: It is also known as Vadakkan Oddy ,they were much faster and the pirates started using it in the lakes. It did not make much noise while moving over the waters.

Thekkan Oddy:Thekkan Oddy is a very beautiful boat with its nose like Churulan and its stern like Chundan.In most of the boat races especially in the famous Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race at Alappuzha these are used. The Thekkan Oddy boats are primarily reserved for the boat race of women.

Churulans: Churulans are very unique type of boats that are pushed through the water. Long and thin bamboo poles used to move the churulans in the water. The oars men use these bamboo poles and they push it down and move from front to back and again.

Palliyodams: Palliyodams  are type of boats have huge sterns which have the nose of the Palliyodams is much higher and helps it in moving much faster.

Houseboat(Kettuvallams):A houseboat is a boat that has been designed and modified to be used primarily as a home.Houseboats in Kerala are very huge and slow-moving barges used for leisure trips. They are a reworked model of Kettuvallams  in earlier times, were used to carry rice and spices from Kuttanad to the Kochi.

Kerala houseboats were considered a convenient means of transportation.The hull is made of wooden planks that are held together by ropes of coconut fiber.The roof is made of bamboo poles and palm leaves. The exterior of the boat is painted with protective coats of cashew nut oil.

Alappuzha is the citadel of house boats.The house boats have all the creature comforts of a good hotel well-furnished bedrooms, modern hygienic toilets, cosy living rooms, a beautiful kitchen and balcony.