8th Aug 2015, Saturday
This year, I happened to be at my home town, Kottayam, in the month of August. I had the privilege of attending the prestigious Nehru Trophy Vallamkali alongside my mom’s family members. While most of the boat races are conducted during Onam, the Nehru trophy boat race is held in the Punnamada Lake near Allappuzha on the second Saturday of August.
The atmosphere was festive with people dancing and singing the Thi thi thara thi thi thai chorus. The scenery was breathtaking on the way to Allepey.
We enjoyed a fantastic traditional lunch aboard the boat. The race commenced at 2 pm, and in the initial round, the Kottaparambil family boat emerged victorious, sparking excitement among us. However, in the final round, we secured the second position, casting a somber mood.
After the race, we headed back to Kumarakom. I enjoyed the fresh breeze sweeping over my face, with the rain drizzling and the rainbow overhead reminding me of God’s covenant. We could see people everywhere on their way back home dancing and singing.
It was a marvellous experience to witness this festive atmosphere.
