Kerala Picnic Spot

The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race is one of the oldest vallam kali (snake boat race) (after the Aranmula Boat Race) of Kerala, India. The Champakulam Moolam vallam kali is the boat race that kicks off the boat race season of Kerala annually.

Champakulam Moolam Boat Race

The race is held on the River Pamba at Champakkulam, a village in Alappuzha district on Moolam day of the Malayalam month Midhunam (according to the Malayalam Calendar), the day of the installation of the deity at the Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple. The day normally falls in June or July and the boat race attracts an enormous crowd.

This is the event that kicks off the boat racing frenzy which takes over the State for the next few months.

Read More About Champakulam Moolam Boat Race

Getting there

Nearest railway station: Alappuzha, about 15 km
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 78 km

Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the most famous Boat Race of Kerala held on the Second Saturday of August every year and it draws a massive crowd on the day of the race. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is named after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru the first Prime Minister of India. This year the Race was postponed due to the flood in Kerala

Snake Boat Races or Chundan Vallam Kali of Kerala

The race is held in the Punnamada Backwaters at Punnamada where the 100 ft long Snake Boats line up to compete against each other.

During this season the area comes to life with ceremonial water processions and beautiful water floats. From the huge chundanvalloms (snake boats) to small country rafts, the waters are under the control of the expert oarsmen who put on a show that one can never forget. It is an art form in itself.

Sachin Tendulkar is the Chief Guest this Year…

Event date: 31-08-2019
Venue: Punnamada Backwaters
Location: Punnamada
District: Alappuzha

Read More about Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Athachamayam is a grand celebration celebrated on the Atham asterism of the Malayalam month of Chingam (roughly August-September), at Thripunithura, near Kochi, Kerala. The Atham marks the beginning of the ten day Onam festival in Kerala, and hence Athachamayam too.

Athachamayam is a cultural fiesta which provides one the rare opportunity to witness almost all the folk art forms of Kerala.

Athachamayam is celebrated to commemorate the victory of the Raja (King) of Kochi.

There is a magnificent procession representing that of the King and his entourage. It is accompanied by caparisoned elephants, floats, musical ensembles and a variety of folk art forms.

Event date: 15-08-2018

Venue: Thripunithura

Location: Thripunithura

District: Ernakulam

Onam is the National Festival of Kerala. Onam is a Hindu festival but Onam is celebrated by all religions and caste throughout Kerala and outside Kerala wherever Malayali’s are there. Even though Onam is a 10 day festival the main celebration goes on the last 4 days and the actual Onam day is on Thiruvoanam.

Read about Onam in detail

Onam is the harvest festival which falls in the month of Chingam (the first month) according to the Malayalam calendar which in Gregorian calendar and it normally comes in the August–September months. It is the New Year day for Keralite.

A huge range of activities take place across the state for over two weeks. It includes Vallam Kali (boat races), Pulikali (tiger dances), Pookkalam (flower arrangement), Onathappan (worship), Onam Kali, Tug of War, Thumbi Thullal (women’s dance), Kummati kali (mask dance), Onathallu (martial arts), Onavillu (music), Kazhchakkula (plantain offerings), Onapottan (costumes), Atthachamayam (folk songs and dance), and other celebrations, and the most important the Onam Sadhya, the grand feast.

Event date: 15-08-2018 to 27-08-2018, Thiruvonam: 25-08-2018
Location: All over Kerala

Aranmula Vallamkali or the Aranmula Snake Boat Race also known as Aranmula Uthrattathi Vallamkali or Aranmula Uthrattathi Boat Race (Since it is held on the Uthrittathi asterism as per the Malayalam calendar) is the oldest river boat fiesta in Kerala held in the Pampa River near the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Arjuna, during Onam festival of Kerala (in the month of August–September).

Aranmula Vallamkali

Aranmula is a heritage village lies in the banks of the river Pampa in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala and the snake boats used for this race are called Palliyodams.

Read More about Aranmula Vallamkali 

Event date: 29-08-2018
Venue: River Pamba
Location: Aranmula
District: Pathanamthitta

Legend says that a devout Brahmin promised to provide all the requirements for the ThiruvonaSadya (feast held during Thiruvonam). On one such occasion, the Thiruvona Thoni, as the boat is called, laden with all these offerings to be delivered to Aranmula Sree Parthasarathy Temple got attacked by enemies during its voyage. In order to protect the Thiruvona Thoni, the people from the neighboring areas sent their snake boats and it is from here that the grand tradition of the special snake boat race in the area was born.

Getting there

Nearest railway station: Chengannur, about 10 km

Nearest airport: Trivandrum International Airport, about 117 km