Is Bengal Losing Its Boat Race Tradition? This 'Boatman' Is Trying To Preserve An Ancient Culture

Bengal has a rich boat culture, with boat races an integral part of its heritage. Anthropologist Swarup Bhattacharyya is working to preserve this culture by documenting their history in a unique way.

The scene from a Nouka Baich competition held on the Thakrun canal near Canning in South 24 Parganas in September 2023. Inset: Swarup Bhattacharyya

Source : Facebook/swarup bhattacharyya

Kolkata: When we think of boat races, the first place that comes to mind is Kerala and its long 'snake boats' zipping through the backwaters amid claps and cheers from the crowd. Boat races, however, are not unique to Kerala. Surprisingly, Bengal too has its own boat race sport, and they are held with great enthusiasm, though not many people know about it. Like Kerala's 'Vallam Kali', Bengal has its 'Nouka Baich'. Unfortunately, the sport does not have a recognition like the annual Nehru