Kerala's snake boat racers keep tradition afloat in face of floods and financial challenges

Around 20 100-foot long snake boats, powered by 100 rowers each, will race through Kerala's backwaters this weekend in the prestigious Nehru Trophy competition. The event, held at Punnamada Lake, attracts thousands of spectators from shore and houseboats. The boats, known for their cobra-like appearance, churn through the water to the beat of oars hitting the surface and the sound of wooden poles being pounded on the deck.

The Alappuzha district, once known as Kerala's rice bowl, is prone to flooding during monsoon rains. Vakkachan Theverkkat, captain of the Kainakary-based United Boat Club (UBC), sees this as an opportunity to train his roster of 150 rowers. Despite recent deadly floods that killed 28 people and displaced thousands, the UBC rowers, mostly locals but including oarsmen from distant states like Uttarakhand and Manipur, have maintained their rigorous training schedule.

The boat, named Veeyapuram, was launched in 2019 and costs nearly 7 million rupees ($73,000) to fund each season, with owners earning only a fraction from sponsors and prize money. The boat-owning communities, which include people from diverse religions, see the snake boat races as a way to preserve tradition and promote tourism, despite the financial challenges they face.