Fifty years ago | Snake boats to be standardised
A government committee in Kerala is implementing a standardization scheme for snake boats to ensure fair competition in regional boat races. The initiative aims to address disparities in boat size and rower capacity that have historically favored specific teams.
Why it matters
This highlights the intersection of cultural heritage preservation and administrative regulation in regional sporting events.
Kottayam, September 6: A scheme has been prepared by a Government-sponsored Committee to standardise the snake boat which is the main attraction in the boat races in Kerala.
This Government Committee conducts the Nehru Trophy boat race. The existing boat races are losing their charm because the competing snake boats are of different lengths, and the capacity of rowers differ.
Many of the snake boats in Central Travancore like Pacha, Payipad and Kodupunna can carry between 70 and 80 rowers, while the snake boats like Karichal, Kalooparamban and Jawahar Thayankari can take in over 100 persons. Because of this vast disparity in manpower, the snake boats like Karichal and Kallooparamban alone are now winning the trophies in most of the races. In the light of this, a scheme has been prepared by the Nehru Trophy Boat Race Committee to standardise the snake boats with equal length and strength of rowers.
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