The Nehru Trophy Boat Race on the Punnamda Lake, near Alappuzha, held on the second Saturday of August every year, is the most competitive and popular of the boat races. On the day of this fiercely fought boat race, the tranquil lake front is transformed into a sea of humanity with an estimated two lakh people, including tourists from abroad, coming to watch the event. For the people of each village in Kuttanad, a victory at this race for their village boat is something to be celebrated for months to come.

The major attraction of the boat race is the competition of snake boats chundanvallams or snake boats. Chundans (snake boats) are an impressive sight, measuring over 100 feet in length, with a raised prow. They were called snake boats by the former colonial rulers, who based the name on a native boat found in Norway,although Kerala's Chundans bear little resemblance to their European namesakes.

Several boat songs of high literary quality and musical charm have been especially composed for being sung during boat races.  The loud singing of the boat songs by groups of people each knowing his part perfectly, joining in just at the proper moment, without hitch, provides delight and encouragement to the rowers and the lookers on.  The best known VANCHIPATTU (Boat song) a Classic in Malayalam literature so full of Iyrical charms and high poetry is Ramapurathu Variar's KUCHELA VRITHAM. Interesting and intriguing are the circumstances in which this boat song came to be composed by a Soverign, Ramapurathu Variar, a poet, liberally favoured by the Muse, but emaciated by poverty, was advised by his friends to pay his respects to the then Ruler of Travancore, who had come to the Vaikkom Temple for worship.  When the poet reached Vaikkom on foot, greatly tried and actually starving, he saw to his absolute disapointment and agony, that the Maharaja was about to embark on the Royal Boat on the return journey to the Capital.  The haggard and pity-evoking appearance of the poet caught the searching eye of the Ruler, a patron of arts and letters.  

A patron of arts and letters. The Royal Master summoned Variar into the boat which the poet did with alacrity. On being told that Ramapurathu Variar was an indigent but devoted scholar poet, the Maharajah commanded him to sing a suitable Boat song, to the accompaniment of which the oars man could row. Without feeling fatigue, the poet began to sing the story of KUCHELA VRITHAM, Kuchela's visit to Sri Krishna. The story was indeed, most appropriate, for Variar like Kuchela, was the poorest and the neediest human being, and the Maharajah, like Lord Krishna, was blessed with all wealth, pomp and power. The story goes that the song KUCHELA VRITHAM which began to be sung at Vaickom, ended when the Royal Boat reached Trivandrum Landing Ghat. The Maharaja realised the plight of his subject, the modern Kuchela, and proved himself to be a veritable Sri Krishna by honouring the poet with riches and awards.