Vallam kali (vaḷḷaṃ kaḷi, literally: boat game) also known as Snake Boat Race is a traditional boat race in Kerala, India. It is a form of canoe racing, and uses paddled war canoes. It is mainly conducted during the season of the harvest festival Onam in spring. Vallam kali includes races of many kinds of paddled longboats and 'snake boats'. Each team spends about 6 lakh rupees for the Nehru Trophy. The race of chundan vallam ('snake boat', about 30-35 meter (100-120 feet) long with 64 or 128 paddlers aboard) is the major event and a major tourist attraction. Other types of boats which do participate in various events in the race are churulan vallam, iruttukuthy vallam, odi vallam, veppu vallam, vadakkanody vallam and kochu vallam. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a popular vallam kali event held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India. In an effort to aggrandise this sport and showcase Kerala's backwaters to the world, the Government of Kerala initiated IPL style regatta named Champions Boat League in 2019. History In Kerala, during an early 13th-century war between the feudal kingdoms of Kayamkulam and Chembakassery, King Devanarayana of Chembakassery commissioned the construction of a war boat named Chundan Vallam and he tasked a famous carpenter of the day with the responsibility of creating it. Hence, the technical methods for creating these snake boats are around 8 centuries old. Of the snake boats still in use today, the Parthasarathi Chundan is the oldest model. Vallam kali has mainly been conducted during the season of the harvest festival Onam in Autumn. The race of chundan vallam is the major event. Vallam kali also includes races of many other kinds of traditional paddled longboats of Kerala, and is one of the major tourist attractions in the state. Vanchipattu Vanchipattu (lit. 'boatsong') is the form of poetry in Malayalam language commonly used during vallam kali and related festivals. During Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali, the vanchipattu is performed by the participants for its significance in the rituals. Ramapurathu Warrier is considered to be the pioneer of the vanchipattu. List of periodical vallam kali events Major events Kandassankadavu boat race, Thrissur Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha Triprayar boat race, in Conolly canal, Triprayar, Thrissur Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali at Aranmula, Pathanamthitta President's Trophy Boat Race in Ashtamudi lake, Kollam Kallada Boat Race in Kallada River, Kollam Pampa Boat Race in