Aranmula Boat Race

Aranmula Boat Race
Aranmula Vallam Kali
Aranmula Uthrattathi Boat Race
StatusActive
GenreFestival
Date(s)Utthrattathi Nakshatra in the Malayalam Calendar month of Chingam (Aug/Sep accordingly)
FrequencyAnnually
VenuePampa River, Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple
Location(s)Aranmula
Pathanamthitta District, Kerala
Coordinates9°19′40″N 76°41′18″E / 9.32778°N 76.68833°E / 9.32778; 76.68833
Country India
Inaugurated1972
Previous event15 Sep 2019
Next event02 September 2023
Organised byPalliyoda Seva Sangham
Websitearanmulavallamkali.com

The Aranmula Boat festival is the oldest river boat festival in Kerala, the southwestern State of India is held during Onam (August–September). It takes place at Aranmula, near Sri Parthasarady Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Arjuna in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala State. The snake boats move in pairs to the rhythm of full-throated singing and shouting watched by an exciting crowd.[1] In 1972, snake boat races were also added to the program of the festival, hence the name Aranmula Boat Race. Thousands of people gather on the banks of the river Pampa to watch the snake boat races. In 2019 Fifty Two snake boats or Palliyodams had participated in the festival. The oarsmen sing traditional boat songs Vanchippattu and wear white mundu

[when defined as?] and turbans. The golden lace at the head of the boat, the flag and the ornamental umbrella at the center make it a show of pageantry too.

  1. ^ The Kerala Companion, Kerala Tourism Dept. Page 40.