The popular boat race is held on the Second Saturday of August every year at the Vempanad lake and is the most important tourist event of Alappuzha. Boats sponsored by different villages compete fiercely in the competition. The highlight of this prestigious event is “CHUNDAN VALLAM” (Snake Boats), the 130 feet long with over 100 rowers, 4 helmsmen and 25 cheer leaders decorated with colored silk umbrellas.

On the day of the fiercely fought boat race, the tranquil lake front is transformed into a Sea of  humanity. Sixteen “Chundans” or snake boats vie with each other to emerge winner in the prestigious water carnival. The boat race also features boats of smaller sizes, the total coming to nearly forty and the participants running to a staggering two thousand including women and students for whom there are separate races. The Nehru trophy Boat Race is the greatest show on water. It can rightly be termed a Kuttanad’s Olympics on water”. The 1.35 km course which is twenty meters wide is divided into four tracks and the fact that the snake boat takes only less than five minutes to cover the distance is something to be seen to be believed.

The origin of the Nehru trophy Boat Race dates back to 1952, when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime-Minister of India, visited the State. He chanced a trip from Kottayam to Alappuzha by boat. A pageantry of snake boats accompanied him on the trip. Fascinated by the rhythm and precision of the paddlers, Nehru is said to have jumped into one of the boats. He suggested making the boat race an annual event and promised to donate a TROPHY.