Advertising Supplement | Sunday, September 7, 2014 | Gulf News 8

Pictures: Supplied ■■ Team members of St George snake boat practise for a race. Historically, the boats served as military vessels in ’s navy The warriors arise n Kerala’s race boats, a staple in the state’s many tourism campaigns, form an integral part of its impressive naval history

By Srijith Sridharan ture, and professor emeri- academic who has penned other influences Special to GN Focus tus at Univer- books on Kerala’s his- sity in Malappuram, says, tory, says, “An ideal snake Buddhist ties t’s 1630 and King Poo- “Chembakassery was boat could hold 140-160 radam Thirunal-De- constantly under threat soldiers, and during pro- vanarayanan of Chem- from Odanadu and Venad longed warfare they were The similarity between boats in the Luang Pra- bakassery in central [earlier ]. The accompanied by veppu bang province of Laos IKerala (now Ambalapu- need to find a solution [to valloms [boats on which to Kerala’s snake boats zha), and his general, Ma- provide strategic military food was cooked]. Anoth- indicates that Buddhists thur Panicker, are gear- backing] led to the devel- er boat used was the iruttu may have promoted ing up to counter a threat opment of snake boats.” kuthy, for spying. snake boat races, and from the feudal lords of “Snake boats had no introduced them to Odanadu (now Kayam- An exotic sport ritualistic role then, al- Asian countries. The fact kulam). Chundan valloms The king invited the though they were used as that these races are held or snake boats, 110 feet public to design better na- escort vehicles during the in and around , home to Karumadikut- ■■ Venugopal, which long and commanded val vessels and Vengayil idol consecration ceremo- tan, a Buddhist statue, by local chieftains, Nair belongs to the Narayanan Achary, a car- ny of [the temple at] Am- lends some credence to and Christian padayalis Madathilaroodam penter, presented a model balapuzha, which marks this belief. — warriors hailing from family in Thalavady, based on the kothumbu the annual But there isn’t much nearby villages — are as- has won the Nehru — the shield that covers Moolam Boat Race.” evidence to back this sembled to showcase Boat Race twice in the the inflorescence of the These boats were used theory and historians Chembakassery’s might. veppu vallom category coconut palm. “It gave for social events when such as Dr P.J. Cherian, Chembakassery the up- they were not in use by the Director, Kerala Council The legacy lives on ture, thanks to boat races per hand over its enemies. navy. Today, they are seen for Historical Research, disagree. However, Dr Whether the kingdom staged across the backwa- The sharp-beaked front across central Kerala with Ajay Sekhar, Professor, was saved by its naval ters of the helped the boats crash oarsmen warring against Sanskrit University, says troops or not is history, but in Alleppey. into its opponents,” says each other as part of an Buddhist influences snake boats similar to the Dr Naduvattom Go- Dr Gopalakrishnan. exotic sport. n shouldn’t be ignored. ones they used continue palakrishnan, an expert on Velayudhan Pan- — S.S. to be a part of Kerala’s cul- Kerala’s history and cul- ikkassery, an

the king three But Vasisht M.C., in the state. These indicate paces of land. To Assistant Professor that agriculture expanded Wither Mahabali? grant this wish, of Kerala History, between the ninth and the king sacri- Malabar Christian 12th centuries, and Onam he story of King Ma- ficed his king- College, Kerala, was an agrarian festival One historian says habali is central to dom and was insists there is closely related to Kerala’s Onam has nothing TOnam, but one his- exiled. Va- no historical biggest landowners.” torian says he may never mana then evidence of Vasisht says these land- to do with the have existed. granted him Mahabali. owners were elite, with legendary king — According to legend, one wish — to “One of the access to temples, rich it was an elitist Kerala was ruled by Ma- visit his sub- earliest ref- garments and jewellery. harvest festival habali, who was devoted to jects once a erences to “It was an elitist festival, god and his subjects. One year — which Onam comes which has now become By Shilpa Chandran day, Vamana, an avatar of is now celebrat- from inscriptions popular and is celebrated Special to GN Focus Vishnu, requested from ed as Onam. found in four temples by the masses.” n