The state government of Kerala, has granted all the necessary permissions for the traditional boat race to get an IPL-influenced league for itself.
This season Kerala Boat Race League will take place and government has agreed to all the permissions. So far, only snake boats, known as “Vallamkali” have been allowed to be a part of the league and other conventional boat races will take part outside the league.
What does the officials has to say?
(Rules for the Kerala Boat Race League (KBL) and When it will be held)
The Finance Minister, TM Thomas Isaac commented that “Only snake boats will be allowed to participate in the KBL. The competitions of small boats will be held as usual. We hope that from next year, KBL will get many more sponsors”.
“The nine snake boats, which come in the last leg of NTBR, will qualify for the other eight competitions in the league. The snake boats, which score highest points in the competitions, will be declared as the champion in the league,” stated by K K Shaju, an expert committee member.
Where did the Idea come from?
The KBL matches will include nine races and they are scheduled to start around August and will last till October. Reports have confirmed that the NTBR was the first to propose the idea of having an Indian Premier League-style version of Kerala’s traditional boat races.
What is the History
The snake boats are named so, because of their shape on the front end, they have a bend upwards like a snake’s serpent. For a race, a snake boat, usually 100-foot long, accommodates and needs around a hundred rowers to ride.
The snake boat races are held at the time of Onam and it is known to be the only major event in Kerala. But, it is also one of the biggest mass sporting events in the world.
Conclusion
The state government of Kerala is doing a great job in promoting their culture and this will make people aware about the various distinctive but attractive traditions in India.
Apart from the snake boat race in Kerala, there are various other native sports in India like Yubi lakpi from Manipur, Vajra Mushti, etc. I hope that in the coming future, they will get recognition too.
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