The term snake boat comes from its stern, which represents the raised, the hood of a snake and its length . The front end of this type of boat will be tapering in shape and the rear end will be very high from the water level. They have a length of about 60-65 meters and a capacity carrying hundred to hundred and ten people during the race time. The stern is majestically caparisoned and decorated w
ith a flag and brass ornaments. Silken parasols are arrayed along the entire length of the boat. There will be almost 95 oarsman, 5 Amarakkar (Controllers) and 10 'Nilakkar' (persons supposed to enhance the vigour and enthusiasm of the articipating oarsman). It has got a resemblance to the shape of a snake, when it advances in a competition and hence became popular as snake boats. Snake boats are the traditional battle vessels of Kerala known as Chundan vallams. They were originally designed as a naval vessel used for battle. Made of Anjili wood, the Chundan valloms or Snake boat of Kerala are over 24 to 36 metres long with raised sterns designed to resemble the hood of a cobra. These giant backwater wonders can accommodate up to 100 oarsmen. Kerala has always had a wide range of ethnic boats which served various purposes of transportation. The most grandeous among these being the Chundan valloms. The boat races of modern Kerala have legends associated with them. When aristocracy was prevalent in the state, the rulers of the various kingdoms would be accompanied on their journeys by quite a few boats - each for a particular purpose like carrying food, clothes and vessels, servants, women, arms etc. These royal entourages, colourful processions were an exciting spectacle for the people. Once royalty moved out of the scene these processions became a ritualistic tradition to be kept alive. The modern boat races thus have become the sole occasions when most boats are used. The first Chundan vallom dates back to the 9th century and used to accommodate upto 200 men on board. The early Europeans who came to Kerala called them 'Snake boat' because of its great length that resembled the 'Snake boats' of Norway. Today, Chundan vallom miniatures have carved a niche for themselves in every home, as well as curio shops and handicrafts emporia across the State. Hundreds of villagers have made an occupation of making these models which are in great demand across the world. The Chundan miniatures are seen with varied decorations - sandalwood or ivory fittings, brass buttons etc and are often modified as candle stands, pen stands, key holders etc. Prices range from less than a hundred rupees to a few hundreds depending on the size, the kind of wood and embellishments used. They are available at bargainable rates at fancy stores and for standard rates at government emporia across the State. During Onam boat races are held at Ernakulam, Kottayam and Champakulm (Changanasseri). The boat race held at Alleppey every year on the second Saturday in August is to commemorate Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's visit to that town in 1952. But the boat race held at Aranmula is hailed as the most spectacular. The chundan vallams (Snake Boats) built for Onam boat race are taken to the water only during the Onam festival. A village owned the boats and kept them in special sheds. The villages compete with each other to own bigger and better boats, needed to win the race. The highly ornate tall stern like the Viking boats, that rises six to eight feet above the water, is gracefully carved and elaborately decorated with shining brass ornaments and silken multicolored tasseled umbrellas. There may be more than twenty boats taking part in the regatta. Of them, some boats will be more than 50 feet long and 6 feet wide. More than 100 experienced oarsmen in decorative garbs propel the boat to the beat of drums and songs. The unified action of sixteen feet long oars at the helm to rudder the boat, from a height of eight feet above the water, is decisive to win the race. The raising and dipping of the oars in unison, gives to the onlooker a thrilling sight of a bird in flight. Lyrics known as vanchippattu (Song of the boatmen) are sung in tune with the traditional percussion instruments aimed at keeping up the spirits of the boatsmen. They have devotional, mythological or rustic themes. Every snake boat has about twenty-five singers and the rhythm of their songs is perfectly blended with the movement of the oars. The mariner’s song (kappal paattu) is a kind of philosophic song. The front portion of a snake boat is known as vetithadi. A windscreen known as kaattumara, is a place where wind can hardly enter. Snake boat has made use of this wind proof platform for the singers and instrumentalists to stand there. The stern of a vessel, or the helm is called Amaram. The helmsman who steers the boat is the Amarakkaran. The curl at its stern (helm) represents the raised hood of a snake. The boat with a height from the water level at the rear, a width of six feet, a length of about 60-65 meters and the curl at the stern qualifies the boat to be called a snake boat, and its carrying capacity is hundred plus during the race time. The majestically caparisoned stern that is decorated with a flag and elaborate shining brass ornaments. The entire length of the boat is arrayed with silken multi-coloured ornate parasols. With 95 paddlers, 5 helmsmen and 10 nilakkar it resembles a snake, while on the move. The role of nilakkar is to enhance the vigour and enthusiasm of the paddlers. Chundan vallams, also called snake boats, were originally designed as a naval vessel and served as the traditional battle vessels of the Maharajas. A tubular vessel in which the boatmen preserve condiments, spices etc is kumpam. Veppuvallam is valiya vallam. There is a boat by name veppu/ Vaippu vallam. Veppu pura is the place where cooking is done. Provision for cooking in this boat won it the name veppu vallam. Its passenger capacity is about 40-45 persons. Its one end is higher than the level of the other end. These boats were designed as catering vessels to accompany battle vessels in olden times. The boats in Kerala owe their name to their shapes, sizes or purposes. Prow is a nautical word that denotes the front part of a ship's hull, the bow. Owing to the curl at the stern, the boat earned its name chundan vallam. It is both a passenger boat as well as a kind of race boat. Its carrying capacity is about 45 persons. Ornamental carvings in coils at the prow and stern of the country boats are known as churul. This curled or coiled carving at its prow and stern earned it the name churulan vallam. Churulan, along with cheruchundan, parunthuvalan, odi vallam and chundan vallom, also belongs to the kaliyodam, kali vallom, kali vanchi category of race boats used for the vallom kali, one among the sports of the village folk in Kerala.
