Chundan Vallam
ചുണ്ടൻ വള്ളം · Snake Boat
King of the backwaters. Like a serpent gliding through the water, its stern rising high. When a hundred paddlers strike as one, the lake boils.
30–35 metres64–128 paddlers
Kerala's water-festival community
Thuzhathaalam
The rhythm born when a hundred oars strike as one — vallamkali stories, sights and updates in one place.
വള്ളംകളിയെ സ്നേഹിക്കുന്നവരുടെ സോഷ്യൽ മീഡിയ കൂട്ടായ്മ — തുഴത്താളം.
- 128
- paddlers can power a single chundan
- 480+
- years of tradition
- 14
- CBL venues across Kerala
ഞങ്ങളുടെ കൂട്ടായ്മ
Our Collective
Thuzhathaalam is a social media collective — a big family of everyone who loves Kerala's water festivals. From Champakkulam to Aranmula, from Punnamada to Ashtamudi — we bring you the vallamkali stories of every kara.
Race-day updates
തത്സമയ വിശേഷങ്ങൾ
Live updates straight from the banks on race days — heats, results and final-day drama.
History & heritage
ചരിത്രവും പൈതൃകവും
Centuries of stories — of the boats, the karas that own them, and the songs they row to.
Fan photos & videos
ഫോട്ടോകളും വീഡിയോകളും
The best sights captured by fans from the banks — spray-soaked photo finishes included.
Boat club news
ക്ലബ്ബ് വിശേഷങ്ങൾ
News from boat clubs and karayogams — training camps, crew announcements and new boat launches.
ചരിത്രം
History
Vallamkali is not just a race — it is a celebration of Kerala's social life. Milestones from a journey of more than four and a half centuries.
1545
Champakkulam Moolam Boat Race
Kerala's oldest boat race, begun to commemorate the installation of the idol at the Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy temple. Held on the Pamba every year on Moolam day of the month of Mithunam.
കേരളത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും പഴക്കമുള്ള വള്ളംകളി.
18th century
Birth of the Vanchipattu
Ramapurathu Warrier's 'Kuchelavritham Vanchipattu' — a poetic form born to the rhythm of oars. These songs remain the soundtrack of vallamkali to this day.
തുഴത്താളത്തിനൊപ്പം പിറന്ന കാവ്യരൂപം.
1952
The Nehru Trophy begins
An exhibition race held for Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's visit to Alappuzha. Thrilled by the finish, Nehru stepped into the winning Nadubhagam Chundan; back in Delhi he sent a silver trophy bearing his signature.
"To the winners of Vallamkali, the symbol of the social life of Thiru-Kochi" — inscription on the Nehru Trophy.
1955
Home at Punnamada
Punnamada Lake becomes the permanent venue of the Nehru Trophy. Every second Saturday of August, lakhs of spectators fill the banks.
പുന്നമടക്കായൽ സ്ഥിരവേദിയായി.
2019
Champions Boat League
The league era of vallamkali. A season-long series led by Kerala Tourism — 14 venues from September 19 to December 6 in the 2025 season.
വള്ളംകളിയുടെ ലീഗ് യുഗം.
വള്ളങ്ങൾ
The Boats
Every boat has its own form, its own history, and the pride of its kara.
Iruttukuthi
ഇരുട്ടുകുത്തി · Odi
A boat built for speed, darting silently through the dark. Also known as the Vadakkan Odi.
SpeedSmall crew
Churulan
ചുരുളൻ വള്ളം
A boat with prow and stern both curled with grace — its name comes from that very curl.
Curled ends
Veppu Vallam
വെപ്പു വള്ളം
The escort of the chundans. In the old days of war flotillas, food for the oarsmen was cooked aboard these boats.
EscortTraditional
Thekkan Odi
തെക്കനോടി
The beauty of a churulan's prow joined to a chundan's stern. A favourite in women's races.
Women's races
മത്സരക്കലണ്ടർ
The Big Races
From Moolam day in Mithunam to the December final — Kerala's festival calendar on water.
Champakkulam Moolam Boat Race
ചമ്പക്കുളം മൂലം വള്ളംകളി
Pamba River, Champakkulam
Kerala's oldest boat race — the opening of the festival season.
Nehru Trophy
നെഹ്റു ട്രോഫി
Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha
The world-famous chundan showdown witnessed by lakhs.
Aranmula Uthrattathi
ആറന്മുള ഉത്രട്ടാതി
Pamba River, Aranmula
The sacred festival of the palliyodams — devotion more than competition.
Payippad Jalotsavam
പായിപ്പാട് ജലോത്സവം
Achankovil River, Haripad
A water festival that runs three full days — Onam's grand finale.
President's Trophy
പ്രസിഡന്റ്സ് ട്രോഫി
Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam
The pride of south Kerala — stage of the CBL final.
Champions Boat League
ചാമ്പ്യൻസ് ബോട്ട് ലീഗ്
14 venues across Kerala
From Kainakary to Ashtamudi — a league battle across the season.
2026 Season Schedule
Pick a date to see that day's races. Dates can shift — confirm with the organisers before travelling.
June 2026
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
Major raceOther races
June 29
1 race
Champakkulam Moolam Vallamkali
June 29 · Monday
Major race
വഞ്ചിപ്പാട്ട്
Vanchipattu
The vanchipattu is the heartbeat of the boat. When a hundred oars strike the water together with the singers' verses, the chundan flies forward. Lose the rhythm and you lose the race; find it, and the banks erupt.
Even today the paddlers breathe as one to the metre of Ramapurathu Warrier's Kuchelavritham Vanchipattu — which is why this collective is named Thuzhathaalam, the rhythm of the oars.
“One rhythm, one mind, one surge!”
The rhythm of the oars · തുഴയുടെ താളം
Now playing
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On the banks? Join the crew!
Your kara's vallamkali stories, photos and videos — share them all with the Thuzhathaalam collective. Let the rhythm be one!
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