Fast & The Furious In Kerala Backwaters- Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race!

When you think of Kerala, you can picturize the calm and serene backwaters with paddy fields and the tall coconut trees in the backdrop, houseboats drifting slowly in the canals and joyful boat rides across villages, watch birds fly above and stealthily dive in the water for a catch. But come August, the still backwaters turn into a battlefield of the mightiest oarsmen showcasing their muscle power and skill. The enthusiasm and energy is contagious, villagers from near and far cheer their home teams, the rhythm is set and tourists from across continents are seen flocking the canals to witness the most prestigious boat race of the year- The Nehru Trophy Boat Race.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race, the most famous "Vallam Kali" which literally means boat game, at Punnamada, Alappuzha/Alleppey, is held on the second Saturday of August every year. The Kerala Snake Boats or Chundan Vallam have been in existence for over 400 years and were used as naval vessels by Kuttanadu Kings. The boat is made of local wood "Aanjili Thadi" and their speed, maneuverability, capacity to carry over 100 warriors on board and the snake like construction made it ideal for launching an ambush. Now, the communities use these boats for racing and keep their legacy alive. These races are considered as a matter of pride and prestige. The Chundan Vallam also has the record of "the biggest water vessel used for sports purpose."

The water festival in Kuttanad is unique as no other country in the world has such festivities nor a sport with such large number of members in a team. Nehru Boat Race is one of the most prestigious events celebrated not only by Keralites but the whole country. In total, around 56 boats contest in different categories. Of which, 16 are Snake Boats, also known as the "Kings of Water," each measuring anywhere between 120-140 feet. Each boat comprises of 100 to 120 oarsmen, 4 lead from the front paddling in unison, 5 or 6 men at the back navigate the boat and a band of 10 musicians sing and play drums to keep the tempo high and going. The snake boats are ornamented with team flags and good luck charms. 

Punamada lake is electrifying, the locals gather along the entire race course to cheer and support their favorite team. It is not just snake boats/Chundan Vallam that compete but other boats as well such as Churulan Vallam/passenger boats which have circular rings at both ends, Vaipu Vallam which were used to prepare food for the warriors, one end of this boat is higher than the other and Iruttukuthy/Odi that were designed for transportation at night and were used to conduct piracy raids during wars.

The oars moving in sync to the rhythmic songs cutting through the calm waters of the race track, the sweat soaking their clothes wet, the biceps flaring with every swift move, the zeal to win, the tension evident as they near the finish line and then the ultimate sense of achievement amidst the loud cheer from the supporters, this event is definitely one of its kind. The racing is not just muscle power but also keen understanding of water currents, tides and many other minute variables. The best team wins the race and that would be a cohesive team that trusts each other. One small mistake by a member and the result could be disastrous.

To keep their adrenaline high and momentum going, every snake boat has rhythmic songs called "Vanchipattu" or the song of the boatman. This mini orchestra with traditional instruments keeps pace with the movement of the oars and lifts up the spirit of the boatmen.

For the 63rd edition, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was the chief guest along with several other dignitaries such as Chinese Ambassador Le Yucheng. Just before the start of the Snake Boat Race, in an extravagant fashion, a chopper greets the participants by showering  rose petals on them.

Throughout the day a lot of races are conducted keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats. It is indeed awesome to see how these boats zip through the back waters at incredible speed. Participants are as young as 8 years and there is a separate category for women. All races guarantee a thrilling and nail biting finish.There are several heat rounds followed by 4 finales that decide the ultimate champion. Just nano seconds separate the first and second place. Though there are several other boat races that are conducted in Kerala, Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a matter of prestige and pride for the participants. The fervor with which the locals support their favorite teams by arriving on the day of event in large numbers and celebrating every moment is commendable. In all, it is a thrilling experience.

In the end, when the winners lift the trophy it all seems worth it. The participants put in a lot of hard work by training for months under the supervision of the senior most oarsmen with some even going to the extent of taking vow of abstinence and celibacy to prepare for this event. Equal credit goes to the villagers and community members for they are the ones who contribute money in lakhs for the race, ensure the boats are smeared with sardine oil for smooth passage through the water and take the responsibility of feeding the oarsmen during the practice sessions and foot in all the expenses.

Tickets for the boat race are easily available even on the day of the event. Tickets range from INR 100 to 2500 per person. If you are buying the tickets in Alleppey, please make sure you buy them from registered agents or government office. The locals and government authorities are super helpful. Kindly avoid touts and brokers who approach you with fancy deal on the streets. If you are booking tickets online do carry a printout of the confirmation page. This would suffice as tickets and would be checked at the respective boat jetty.

Elaborate, comfortable and covered seating arrangements are provided by the organizers. We purchased the "Tourist Silver" tickets priced at INR 1500 per person. In our opinion, this is the best seat in the house as it provides excellent views of the race track, finishing line and podium. If you reach early and grab the corner seats at the far end you could get excellent pictures too. However, the draw back is if you arrive late you might not get good view as the seats are on a first come first basis. To reach the seating arena one has to board a ferry from "Madha Jetty" (For Silver) or "Lake Palace" Jetty (For Gold.) Limited snacks and beverages are made available at the venue so it would be wise to carry a day pack with snacks and fluids of your preference.

The race day is a full day event with no options to dine there. Hence having a heavy breakfast would be a good idea. Do carry a good hat and sunglasses.

One of the most popular ideas to watch the race is believed to be from the houseboats. The package sounds really hard to resist with DJ, lunch, snacks, drinks, exclusive views, comfort - all made available at a cost ranging from INR 1500 to 2500. If it is too good to believe, it is more often not! The ultimate crux of the race that is "the view" is obstructed by several other house boats that are lined up one after the other. Houseboats provide little to no cover from the sun, imagine spending the entire day without any shade or cover. They are over crowded and there is no way one can leave halfway through the event. You can easily give the houseboat experience a miss when better views are made available for the same price.

Race Track To The Left 

Ajanta Caves And Paintings A Photo Tour

Best of Ajanta Caves. 

Lost And Found Ancient Indian Treasure- Ajanta Caves!

Of the many wonders of ancient India, Ajanta Caves is one such monument that will make you proud of Indian Art, Architecture, History and Heritage. Surrounded by dense forest, this World Heritage Monument chiseled out of a horse shoe shaped cliff, 76 m in height, comprises of 30 caves and was forged in two phases- early 2nd century BC and in the 6th century AD. The location with a serene and calm atmosphere was perfect for the teachings of Buddhism and also for meditation. Each cave had their own entrance with a stairway that led to the edge of Waghora river flowing at the bottom of the cliff.

These caves over a period of time were abandoned when Buddhism slowly faded away from India and became a hidden treasure engulfed by thick jungle. It was only in the year 1819 that an accidental chance let to these caves being brought back to life by a British officer, John Smith, of the Madras Presidency, who was on a hunting trail.

Of course, it is not just the grandeur architecture of these caves that draws us to visit them but also the unique mural paintings of ancient times that tell tales of a bygone era. The paintings in Ajanta are world famous and are on the theme of various Jataka stories reflecting Buddha's previous incarnations and events from the life of Buddha. The colors on the walls and ceilings were made from pebbles and vegetable oil from the hills, the colored pebbles were crushed, ground and then mixed with glue. This elaborate procedure for the paintings was definitely worth the effort. It is said that during those days, the entire cave with the paintings would look like it was decorated for a grand event.

Of all the caves, five caves (9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) are chaityagrihas (shrines) and the rest are virahas (monasteries.) Some of the caves are unfinished but still manage to draw your attention for the sheer location and its surroundings. To admire the beautiful sculptures and craftsmanship head to caves 4, 10, 19 and 26 and the mural paintings leave you spellbound in caves 1, 2, 9, 11, 16 and 17.

The entrance and pillars of most of the caves have imposing sculptures, the walls are embellished with paintings and the inner sanctum houses the massive sculpture of Gautama Buddha. Cave 1 is known for its ornamented paintings, Cave 2 for the beautiful geometric patterns with the ceilings and walls brightly painted, Cave 16 has some paintings that have inscriptions on them and cave 17 is also called as the zodiac cave based on a painting of a gigantic wheel. 

The stupas are built in such a way that natural light seeps in and illuminates the entire stupa during certain parts of the day. The precision with which this was achieved centuries ago is unbelievable. In this modern day and age will it be possible to built a monument as grand as this? Or did we have alien technology that helped us in carving out such colossal monuments.

Even if you are no history buff, the sheer magnitude of these sculptures and the intricacies in each of the paintings will make you fall in love with history and art. The calm and soothing effect in the caves guarantees you inner peace and you tend to forget everything around.

The details in the paintings are hard to miss even in their deteriorating state. The detailed depiction of the jewels, the facial expressions, the geometrical designs on the ceilings, the lavish palaces, village life, wildlife all are depicted in a beautiful fashion.

Of all the age old paintings only a few have survived the test of time. Thanks to the efforts of the ASI, the remaining caves and sculptures are preserved in a decent manner. Flash photography is strictly prohibited inside the cave premises.

After visiting the caves, the trek path takes you to the view point from where you can have a panoramic view of the caves. It was from here that the British officer spotted the Ajanta caves around 200 years ago.

Ajanta caves can be easily reached from Aurangabad by road and the total distance of 120 km can be covered in 2 to 3 hours. State transport buses frequently ply to and from Aurangabad and leave from Central bus terminal commonly known as Baba bus stand. The ideal plan would be to leave Aurangabad by 7 am and catch a view of the stunning caves with the sun rays falling on the caves making it a very neatly timed moment to click pictures. Once you get down from the bus, head to the interpretation center and pay for amenity charged at INR 10 per person. Then a 4 km shuttle bus ride takes you to the caves and here is where the entry tickets to the caves are sold. If you are carrying a camera specifically buy a ticket for your camera for INR 5. Please note that you would be asked to produce this ticket in caves 1, 2, 16 & 17.

The path from the ticket counter to the last one of the caves is a trek in itself and therefore, the authorities have made porter services available for the benefit of senior citizens and folks who find it difficult to walk the entire stretch.

In the vicinity are a lot of shops that can be checked out to buy souvenirs. They sell wooden statues of Buddha, figures from the mythological epics, coins to crystals. After the walk, to satisfy your hunger pangs head to the restaurant run  by MTDC that serves good food and specializes in Thalis and on a hot day you can treat yourself with a chilled beer.

There are a few stay options in Ajanta owned by both Government and private entities. However, it would be a good idea to do a day trip from Aurangabad. If you leave at 7 am, you can be back by 6 pm after leisurely spending considerable amount of time in the caves.

Note- The caves are open for public from 9 am and are closed on Mondays.

Ellora Caves.