Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

41 snake-boats to take part in race

PATHANAMTHITTA: A total of 41 snake-boats (Palliyodams) will take part in this year’s snake boat pageantry, Uthrittathi Vallamkali, in Pampa river at Aranmula on September 16.

According to K.G. Sasidharan Pillai, president of Palliyoda Seva Sanghom (PSS) that organises the annual water carnival, it is after a gap of 50 years that as many as 41 boats are participating in the annual event.

He said Ranni-Bhagavathykunnu and Vanchithra Thekkemuri would be the two new Palliyoda Karayogams to take part in this year’s Vallamkali.

Work on the new snake-boats for Nedumprayar and Keezhukara Palliyoda Karayogams is progressing.

The PSS is planning to invite film personalities from Bollywood as well as Mollywood for the annual carnival, besides a few VVIPs attached to Union and State Cabinets, Dr. Pillai said.

He said Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran had directed the Irrigation wing officials to ensure sufficient water level in the river for the smooth conduct of the boat race and pageantry.

He said the Aranmula Aviation Limited would be sponsoring this year’s Uthirttathi Vallamkali and its chairman P.S. Nair had agreed to give Rs.5 lakh for the same.

Dr. Pillai said a three-day fair, Aranmula Mela, had also been planned as part of the Endogenous Tourism Project, jointly sponsored by the government of India and the United Nations Development Programme at Aranmula during the festival.

He said the fair was aimed at rural tourism promotion in this part of the State. Meanwhile, the soil testing for the feasibility study on the proposed rubber dam at Aranmula was carried out by a team of experts from the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, recently.

The proposal was to construct a rubber dam at an estimated cost of Rs.14 crore about 200 metres downstream of the finishing point of the boat race with a view to maintaining sufficient water level in the race course.

The Union government had agreed to provide financial support the project under the rural tourism programme, Dr. Pillai said.

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