Karuvatta Boat Race

Karuvatta Boat Race is one of the water Sports that take place during Onam days at Karuvatta River.The boat race is preceded by colorful water parades and is the most enchanting facet of the festival of Onam. The event is promoted as a major tourist attraction of the state of Kerala and draws a large number of domestic and international tourists. The boat is treated as a deity and a holds a lot of emotional value for the village folk. Each boat belongs to individual villages located near the river Pamba.Only men are allowed to touch the boat that too with bare feet.It is about 100 feet long and has a seating capacity of 150 men.

Time : August or September
Venue: Karuvatta river

The boats are usually made of anjili (artocarpus hirsuta), though sometimes teak and kadamb (Naucleacadamba) wood is also used. The curled ends of the boats are shaped like cobra hoods and it is from this shape that boat has derived its name. Each boat is meticulously crafted by skilled craftsmen and a lot of patience and hard work goes into making and decorating it. The race has been going on for good number of years and its popularity is soaring with each passing year.