The boats are referred to as snake boats because of their long and slender shape and rest assured, it has nothing to do with the reptile itself! Watching a snake boat festival, live and in action is a cherishable experience, to say the least. The high energy levels of the teams rowing the traditional boat (chundan vallam) is infectious and the crowd gathered cheers on for their favourite teams. Several villages in Kerala gather to take part in this annual festival which is held along the lakes and rivers of the region, in boats that are typically 100 to 120 feet long! There is a grand prize too for the winning team but more than anything, it’s the sentiment of winning that holds more weight than the prize for the village that bags the trophy.