Kerala's boat race to be a sport
Kerala's traditional boat race will now be recognised as a sporting event in the state.
By Agencies |
KERALA: The state government has taken a decision to grant it the status of a sports event, and a formal announcement in this regard would be made later in the year.
"I have given due recognition and credit to the indigenous sports so that the youth will have an ample of opportunity to access this sport. We have taken a strong look on the fading arts of Kerala, especially the martial arts like Kalaripayattu, traditional races like these boat races," said G Kishore, state Sports Secretary.
Boat races are an integral part of the traditional festivals in the state during the harvest season.
They are held in seven districts of Kerala. The one held at Champakulam in Alappuzha District is the biggest, attracting thousands of people, including domestic and foreign tourists.
"I've never seen so many people in one boat rowing at the same time. It looks like complete chaos but it seems to be doing all very well," says Randy Toms, a tourist from the UK.
But the most popular boat race is Nehru Trophy Boat Race held in the backwaters of Kerala's Alappuzha. The boat race is named after the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who had instituted the trophy.
Various kinds of boats participate in these races, of which the largest is snake boats. Snake boat races are the largest team sport event in the world.
Snake boats are long and narrow country boats, originally designed to transport soldiers to war front with a speed of about 50 kilometres an hour. But these days it is used exclusively for boat races or ceremonial events.
The tradition of boat races started as boat pageantries or colourful boat processions by carrying temple deities, which later became a competitive event dating back to more than 400 years ago in the state.
"I have given due recognition and credit to the indigenous sports so that the youth will have an ample of opportunity to access this sport. We have taken a strong look on the fading arts of Kerala, especially the martial arts like Kalaripayattu, traditional races like these boat races," said G Kishore, state Sports Secretary.
Boat races are an integral part of the traditional festivals in the state during the harvest season.
They are held in seven districts of Kerala. The one held at Champakulam in Alappuzha District is the biggest, attracting thousands of people, including domestic and foreign tourists.
"I've never seen so many people in one boat rowing at the same time. It looks like complete chaos but it seems to be doing all very well," says Randy Toms, a tourist from the UK.
But the most popular boat race is Nehru Trophy Boat Race held in the backwaters of Kerala's Alappuzha. The boat race is named after the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who had instituted the trophy.
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Various kinds of boats participate in these races, of which the largest is snake boats. Snake boat races are the largest team sport event in the world.
Snake boats are long and narrow country boats, originally designed to transport soldiers to war front with a speed of about 50 kilometres an hour. But these days it is used exclusively for boat races or ceremonial events.
The tradition of boat races started as boat pageantries or colourful boat processions by carrying temple deities, which later became a competitive event dating back to more than 400 years ago in the state.
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