Yet another Onam season and one more edition of ‘Jalotsavam’ or the ‘Vallamkali (Country boat race)’ in North Kerala…
I had been to here last time and shared my experiences here in my post…
Unlike it’s more famed cousins of south Kerala like Aranmula Vallamkali where the traditional snake boat race in the vast backwaters happens , it’s organised in Kuppam river by ‘Navodaya Club‘ with stunning natural settings…
Slowly people have started watching with great passion and sinking in the spirit of Vallamkali…
Local clubs have now become more competent and the races are fought with intensity.
Still visitors have an upper hand due to their experience and fine tuned techniques and the local teams are still pursuing their Quest for glory…
This time, I watched most of the race from a nearby hilltop and we had yet another great evening …
Santiago the Shepherd 
The place is so beautiful…yet so calm
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Absolutely… that’s the best thing about this place, it’s calm …
I used to go there once in a while to watch sunset there 🙂
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts 🙂
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Very nice click…….I always wanted to witness a boat race but its always been through pictures.
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Thank you so much for stopping by 🙂
The real Vallamkali or snake boat race happens in South Kerala, and it’s part of the local culture…
Here in North Kerala it’s been introduced for last 8-9 years only.
Anyway, if you are interested you can plan a trip to Kerala during Onam season …
Have a nice day 🙂
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That just went I will have to wait until next onam , thanks for the info.
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That’s true 🙂
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Nice pictures of this boat racing …
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Thank you so much, dear Gerrit 🙂
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Beautifully done again, Sreejith. Quite a variety of shots and you certainly captured the atmosphere very well from a top the hill where you were sitting. Very impressive with your camera’s zoom, zooming in on the kid pedaling. He/She looks to be concentrating very hard.
My favourite shot out of the lot has to be the one of those people standing up on the boat, juxtaposed by everyone else sitting down. I guess those people standing up have won the race… or maybe something went wrong with their boat:D
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Thank you so much, Mabel, for your lovely comments 🙂
To be frank, I had only one lens with me, a telephoto one and during the race, I shot some close up images from the river bank and moved up hill to get the wide angle ones 🙂
I am truly rewarded here with all these nice comments, for all the walk up and down 🙂
The organizers of the event later requested a few of my images for their souvenir and I felt great 🙂
I think, the image you mentioned is about the final race, with two leading boats at neck to neck and the one with people standing is the one which just couldn’t qualify for the finals.
Next time, I will visit there with a wide angle lens and a telephoto, for sure, to save me from muscle pulls, he he 🙂
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Beautiful photos, Sreejith. I took some photos of Dragon boat race one time and had to delete all of them ;-( You make it look easy.
I still have that monkey face in my head… and that pair of hands. That’s what I like about your photos: they stay in people’s mind.
Have a great day!
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Thank you so much, Helen 🙂
I didn’t really planned this trip and I had only a telephoto lens, and the light was also not great… but I just wanted to share these images 🙂
So nice to see that you liked them 🙂
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Beautiful photos. The man with the crown is he part of the winning team?
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Thank you so much, Robin 🙂
All these boat races used to happen during the Onam time and the story of Onam is linked to the Demon king ‘Mahabali’.
Some one put on these make ups to make the crowd, especially the kids, interested… 🙂
Have a beautiful day 🙂
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Such creative captures of this magical event Sreejith. As others have said your images stay in my head and that is a lovely thing.
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I am honored to hear these comments, Sue 🙂
We are simply lucky to have such beautiful places around 🙂
The organizers of this event is a small group of guys and we really have to appreciate their efforts…
Have a beautiful day 🙂
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Captured beautifully. The colours, I love being part of this race. Been a while since I did it though. Thanks for the reminder. So next year August
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Great to see that you have experienced ‘VallamKali’ before 🙂
I have never been to the real Vallamkali of South Kerala.
I am so glad to see that, you liked this post and thank you so much for your appreciative comments 🙂
Have a nice day 🙂
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Fascinating shots with the calm meandering waters and the beautiful boats. I was not aware of the difference between the boat race of North and South Kerala. Thanks for sharing the information. I am yet to witness this famous and beautiful boat race of Kerala.
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Thank you so much for your appreciative comments, Sarmistha 🙂
If you plan to be part of a Snake Boat Race, then South Kerala is the place to be 🙂
But, we have some great settings here with rivers and hills that really makes them look stunning and provide great opportunities for photography 🙂
Hope you will be able to make it to Kerala soon 🙂
Have a beautiful day 🙂
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Even I wish to visit some time soon 🙂 Thank you
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These pics are so refreshing! Wonderful captures, Sreejith!
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Thank you so much, Moon 🙂
To be fair, the place is absolutely stunning and it’s hard to capture a bad image 🙂
I am really glad that you liked these images 🙂
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The boat racing looks exciting via your photos.
I ‘d say it’s a piece of paradise! 🙂
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Thank you so much for your kind words, Amy 🙂
The place is stunning indeed and I found it only a couple of years back, though it’s hardly a few kilometres from my home …
Though Kerala is a top tourist destination, northern districts are still unexplored and pristine 🙂
Have a beautiful day 🙂
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What a tremendous shot and view in the first photo ~ a celebration of absolute happiness on the faces and the mood you have re-created for us all here. Great series of photos and your words explaining the differences of the different areas of Kerala ~ wishing you a great autumn ahead.
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Thank you so much, Dalo, for your appreciative comments, great reward for the effort put in to get wide angle and close up shots with a telephoto lens 🙂
Snake boat race is an integral part in the life of people around the south central Kerala, but it’s something new in the Northern parts…
We really have to appreciate the efforts of a small team of organizers, to introduce something like this to a new place year after year …
I am also happy to share that, a few images in this series found a place in the ‘Souvenir’ they prepared after the event 🙂
Have a beautiful day 🙂
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Beautiful shots! The coconut groves, the paddy fields by the river on a cloudy day…I can almost smell the rains! Like so many others have noted above, you captured the atmosphere of the race and the place really well. Thanks for sharing.
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To be frank, I found this place just by chance couple of years back, though it’s hardly 4-5 km from my home, and it was like love at first sight, he he 🙂
As the paddy fields keeps changing it’s texture and color round the year, there is always scope to get a different image of the same place…
Thank you so much for your kind words and nice to see you liked this series 🙂
Have a nice day, Sweta 🙂
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Beautiful shots of an eventful day! I havent taken the boat race jalotsavam shots…keep it up
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Thank you so much for your appreciative comments 🙂
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The views and landscapes are just beautiful and absolutely mesmerising in the setting sun.
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Thank you so much, Paula 🙂
The landscape is simply stunning and I couldn’t really do justice to the place 🙂
Also, my photos from the place got published in their Souvenir, in print, for the first time 🙂
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Beautiful !
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Thank you so much 🙂
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