Snake Boat Race In Cochin Backwaters, 1951 Postcard

A 1951 postcard of Kerala’s famous snake boat race in the Cochin (Kochi) Backwaters. The inscription reads “Feb.17, 1951 Annual Race Cochin India Malabar Hotel”. The Taj Hotels Group now runs the Malabar Hotel located on Willingdon Island in Cochin. The boaters are preparing for the annual snake boat race event.

The snake boat race or “Vallom Kalli” in Malayalam is unique to Kerala only. It dates back over 400-500 years and still going strong annually. The biggest of this water race is the annual Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race at the Punnamada Lake. The lake is an extension of the Vembanad Lake in Alleppey (Alappuzha). The smaller races are normally held in the backwaters and lakes of Kerala.

The snake boats called chundan valloms (Malayalam) vary in size from small to medium to large. The larger ones are 140 feet long and can accommodate 110 oarsmen. It comes to life magically once the men pitch their oars synchronously into the water, shooting forward the snake boat swiftly. Accompanied by the rhythmic chanting and thumping of the floor of the boat with long oars by the cheerleaders. Originally, the Chundan Valloms were warboats used centuries back. Most of these valloms are named after the village where it was built.