They are for boat races what Brazil is for football. Natives of Kumarakom, the tourist paradise and cradle of boat racers, are finally waking up to the fact though they dominate boat races they still do not own a snake boat to boast about.
Kumarakom has three boat clubs, the Kumarakom Boat Club, the Kumarakom Town Boat Club and the Village Boat Club. Rowers from these clubs are known for their typical style of rowing as the Latin American style in football. It is in stark contrast to the styles of two other major clubs, the United Boat Club, Kainakary, and the Kollam Jesus Boat Club.
Now, the Kumarakom Village Boat Club has taken the lead in bringing together natives of the picturesque village to build a snake boat so that they can proudly participate in boat races including the Nehru trophy.
“If the best of the rowers in these three boat clubs come onto one snake boat, it will simply be unbeatable,” says Ajil Kumarakom who is secretary of the Village Boat Club which has taken the initiative to build the snake boat. A preliminary meeting has been called by club members on Sunday to chalk out ways in this regard.
“A total of Rs35 lakh is needed to build a new snake boat and we have received an encouraging response from boat race lovers from Kumarakom living in and outside the state and abroad. If the money can be raised soon, we will be able to realize the dream before the next boat race season,” he said.
Kumarakom Boat Club had won the Nehru Trophy three times on Karichal and Kalloopparamban while the Kumarakom Town Boat Club won the trophy three times on Payippadu. No doubt the legacy gives a big push to the natives of Kumarakom to have their own chundan.