Karichal chundan paddles to glory

Karichal Chundan won the 64th Nehru trophy boat race held at Punnamada Lake here on Saturday. Sixty-six boats took part in various races as part of the regatta, enthralling spectators.

Twenty snakeboats (chundan vallams), each carrying 100-odd oarsmen, contested for the Nehru Trophy.

Karichal Chundan, represented by the Vembanad Boat Club, steered by Captain Jameskutty Jacob clocked 4 minutes 22.10 seconds in the final to win the race.

Gabriel chundan of the United Boat Club came second. Nadubhagom of the Village boat Club and Mahadevikad of the Mahadevikad boat Club came third and fourth.

The races began in the forenoon in the smaller boat categories such as ‘veppu’, ‘odi’, and ‘iruttukuthi. The race was officially inaugurated by Governor P.Sathasivam in the afternoon . He also paid floral tributes to the statue of Jawaharlal Nehru at the pavilion.

He said snakeboats had become an informal symbol of Kerala all over the world. The boat races, with the oarsmen rowing in unison to the tempo of

vanchipattu , had won global admiration.

“The races bring forth social and communal harmony, spreading friendship, cutting across caste and creed. They represent cultural diversity of Kerala,” the Governor said.

Tourism Minister A.C. Moideen said the government had provided Rs.1 crore for organising the boat race this year. The government was keen on cleaning up canals in Alappuzha and a project would be taken up by the Tourism Department.

Minister for Public works G.Sudhakaran and actor Jayaram were present.

A mass drill of the snakeboats before the race was one of the attractions enjoyed by the spectators, including foreigners. An oath was administered by the captain of the previous year’s winning boat.