Imagine this: a long narrow boat, between 100 to 138 feet in length, cuts through a body of lush green water. On board, 64 able-bodied men — sat in rows of two along the length of the boat, and led by a karanaadhan (captain) and four adanayampu (rudder oarsmen) — row to the rhythm of vanchipattu, or boatmen’s song, performed live by 25 singers who sit between the paddlers. In the middle of the rear half of the boat, from where a cantor leads the song, eight more people stand guard — they represent the ashtadikpalakas or the eight deities who guard the eight principal directions according to Hindu traditions.

These boats are known as chundan vallam, or beaked boats, and this game of boat racing, known as vallam kali, meaning ‘the boat game’, is a cornerstone of backwater Kerala’s traditional boating culture.

According to legends associated with these boats, the 13th-century king of Chembakassery, King Devanarayana, commissioned the construction of the chundan vallam warboats during a period of war between Kayamkulam and Chembakassery. Although initially made for war and used to train soldiers in maritime warfare, these boats gradually transformed into objects of pride and sport during peacetime.

The Aranmula Uthrattathi Vallam Kali, or Aranmula boat race, is the oldest river boat festival in Kerala. Held on the day of the Utthrattathi asterism in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam (Aug/Sep accordingly), the festival takes place in the heritage village of Aranmula on the Pampa river, near the Sri Parthasarathy Temple dedicated to Hindu mythological figures Krishna and Arjuna in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala.

Many believe that the design of the unique snake boats or Palliyodams used in Aranmula, which resemble the mythical Sheshanaga, was shared with the boat-makers of Kerala by Krishna himself. The devotees consider these boats the divine vessel of the presiding deity in the Sri Parthasarathy Temple and hold them in utmost reverence.

The Palliyodams are made with meticulous attention to detail, following centuries-old craft traditions and techniques. To make a Palliyodam, a suitable Anjili or wild jackfruit tree is first identified, cut down, and brought to the location for construction. Then, the construction work begins on an auspicious day. The tree is cut and trimmed into planks measuring precisely 83 feet in length and 6 inches in width, and the boat — 100 to 138 feet in length, with a rear that reaches a towering height of about 20 feet — is made out of these planks. When completed, a Palliyodam resembles a snake with its hood raised. The Palliyodam is then kept inside the Palliyoda Pura — a structure made specifically for this purpose —  where outsiders are not allowed to enter.

To help maintain the hydrodynamics of the hull, the boats are carefully maintained all year round. Every year, the boats are oiled using a concoction of fish oil, coconut shell, and ash to keep the wood strong and the hull smooth. The village carpenter carries out routine repairs before and after each race, and the villagers take pride in their boats, which are named after the village where they were made and represent their home village in these races.

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