Nehru Trophy Boat Race 2024: Excitement fills Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha as the heats for the Nehru Trophy Boat Race (NTBR) commenced on September 28 (Saturday). The 70th edition of the NTBR is being held in Alappuzha, Kerala, with the event officially inaugurated by Kerala’s Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas at 2 PM IST.
Every year, crowds gather in large numbers to watch nearly 100-foot-long boats compete on the water, racing with traditional boat songs. Originally scheduled for August 10, the race was postponed due to the landslides in Wayanad.
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A total of 74 boats will compete across nine categories, with 19 boats participating in the snake boat category. The other categories include Churulan (3 boats), Iruttukuthi A grade (4 boats), Iruttukuthi B grade (16 boats), Iruttukuthi C grade (14 boats), Veppu A grade (7 boats), Veppu B grade (4 boats), Thekkenodi Thara (3 boats) and Thekkenodi Kettu (4 boats).
Where to watch the Nehru Trophy Boat Race?
Fans can tune in to the DD Bharati tv channel for the live telecast of the event at 2 PM IST and their YouTube channel for the free live streaming of the races.
The finals for the snake boat competition are scheduled for later in the evening at 4 PM IST.
History Of The Nehru Trophy Boat Race
The history of this water racing event traces back to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's visit to Alappuzha in 1952. Enchanted by the sight of the grand snake boats, Nehru is said to have jumped onto one, ignoring his security detail. Later that year, he presented a silver trophy modelled after a snake boat as a keepsake from his experience, which ultimately inspired the name of the race: the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.