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Snake Boat Waiting to be taken into the open waters
Made of Anjili wood, the Chundan valloms or Snake boat of Kerala are over 24 to 36 metres long with raised sterns designed to resemble the hood of a cobra. These giant backwater wonders can accommodate up to 100 oarsmen
Each snake boat belongs to a village along the banks of the river Pamba and is worshipped like a deity. Every year the boat is oiled mainly with fish oil, coconut shell, and carbon, mixed with eggs. The black mixture keeps the wood strong and the boat slippery in the water. Tradition demands that the Nambudiri Brahmin be at the main rudder oar about 12 feet long. There are four main oarsmen who control the movement of the boat.
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