Nehru Trophy Boat Race

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a popular Vallam Kali held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India. Vallam Kali or Vallamkali literally means boat play/game, but can be translated to boat race in English. The most popular event of the race is the competition of Chundan Vallams (snake boats). Hence the race is also known as Snake Boat Race in English. Other categories of boats which participate in various events of the race are Churulan Vallam,Iruttukuthy Vallam, Odi Vallam, Veppu Vallam (Vaipu Vallam), Vadakkanody Vallam and Kochu Vallam.

The Nehru Trophy Valam kali is conducted on the second saturday of August every year and is a famous tourist attraction

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of Independent India visited Kerala in 1952. He was given a roaring reception by the people of Alleppey, escorted by the huge snake-boats. Having gone through the tremendous excitement of sailing in a snake-boat Jawaharlal Nehru donated a rolling trophy to be awarded to the winner of the race. The trophy is a replica of a snake-boat in silver, placed on wooden abacus on which the following words are inscribed.

To the winner of the boat-race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore-Cochin.

Until Nehru’s death in 1964, the trophy was named ‘Prime Minister’s Trophy’, and it was on 8 August 1964 that the trophy was renamed Nehru Trophy/

Source : wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvK3065NgM8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuboYIOjhDo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGr41vnwjk