Famous Nehru Trophy Boat race will be held at Alappuzha Punnamada lake this afternoon (8th August 2009). Nehru Trophy boat race is the most popular boat race in Kerala. Known as Nehru Trophy Vallam Kali in Malayalam, this event attracts lots of tourists from India and abroad. Legend of Nehru Trophy Boat race begins from 1952 when the late prime minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Alappuzha.
A speciality of this years boat race is that famous Malayalam film actor Kalabhavan Mani is the captain of one of the boats Karichal Chundan.He has joined the team of Town Boat Club, Kollam. Chief guest of 2009 Nehru Trophy Boat race is Sonia Gandhi, president of Indian National Congress party.
Apart from competition of Snake Boats known as Chundan Vallam, there are other competitions for Veppu, Churulan, Iruttukuthi and Thekkanodi. Tickets for the boat race are available from various Govt. Offices of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Kottayam Districts and from the Office of the District Tourism Promotion Council
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Alleppey was actually described as the Venice of the east by Lord Curzon. But it’s a little crowded compared to Kumarakom which is still more like a village.