Vallam Kali is held at the fall festival Onam in September, It is one of the types of boat racing that uses paddled war boats.

Vallam Kali – The sport of Indian boat racing

The ancient boat racing occurs in God’s own land, Kerala, India. It is one of the types of boat racing that uses paddled war boats. Vallam Kali is held at the fall festival Onam in September. The main reason is the size of the boats used, it is also referred to as the ‘snake boat’ race. So, let’s get into the details.

There is also a spiritual component to the sport. It is considered a sacrifice to God Parthasarathy. Moreover, it is performed during the harvest season. While rowing the boat, several Malayalam ballads are sung, which are considered to increase energy and excitement among the helmsmen. Vanchipattu is a type of chanted poetry.

The Vallam Kali sprint is a magnificent and extravagant event, with hundreds of people congregating on the Pamba Shoreline near Aranmulla. There was a temple of Hindu deity Krishna and Arjuna is located.

Meanwhile, The race is held on the fifth day of the Onam festival. It covers a distance of 40 kilometers from start to finish, from hills to low plains. Approximately 30 ChundanVallams compete in the race, which is lavishly decorated. A boat carries around 150 men, 25 of whom are singers, 125 of whom are oarsmen, and four of whom are helmsmen.

The contestants are dressed in white dhotis and headscarves. Everything is planned ahead of time to ensure a plain sailing of the competition; even the sailboats are floated on the day ahead of the race. Prior preparations are critical to the event’s success. Various rituals are performed. The rituals are like the adoration of God Vishnu and Mahabali to ask blessings for the vessel and the boatmen. Flowers presented to God are considered as a blessing and maintained aboard the boat to keep people safe.

Vallam Kali Indian boat racing

It is stated that every occurrence has a purpose or a history, and Vallamkali is no exception. It is a classic boat racing that dates back to prehistoric times. In an initial period of the 13th-century fight between the feudal kingdoms of Kayamkulam and Chembakassery, Emperor Devanarayana of Chembakassery directed the building of a boat dubbed ChundanVallam. It could be used in warfare and could yield results in every war.

 Vallam Kali is held at the fall festival Onam in September, It is one of the types of boat racing that uses paddled war boats.
Vallam Kali is held at the fall festival Onam in September, It is one of the types of boat racing that uses paddled war boats.

Moreover, The boat is shaped like a serpent and is fashioned from the timber of the Anjili tree. It has a span of 100 to 139 feet and can transport between 125 and 150 passengers. The boat is revered as a divinity, and only males are permitted to touch it. Known for its agility and stealth, various attempts are made to make the boat slick in the water. Those boats reduce water absorption, such as lubricating it with fish oil, ash from coconut shells, and eggs. The community head commands it, together with three primary paddlers. Moreover, They manage the boat’s motion with the use of a 12-foot-long oar.

Indian boat racing:

Basically, there are around 64 paddlers, two in each row, symbolizing 64 different art genres. With the exception of ChundanVallam, there are various types of boats used throughout the race. They are as iruttukuthyvallam, veppuvallam, churulamvallam, vadakkanodyvallam, odivallam, and kochuvallam.

So, this is all about the Vallam Kali. It is the sport of Indian boat racing. There are more updates. Stay tuned for updates. So, Check out the other stories. Moreover, you can give us suggestions. There will be more content like this. This is a unique game. Most of the People don’t have proper knowledge of it. So, get the details from here. Meanwhile, much more content to come. So, support Go Beyond Sports.

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