The pulsating uproars of mighty oarsmen have once again started reverberating along the shorelines of Kumarakom after a two-year hiatus.
Just as the southwest monsoon gathers full steam, the placid waterbodies of the village are once again turning into the practice venue for boat clubs from Kottayam. Scenes of men bringing down their oars in perfect harmony and springing forward, which comes after the COVID-19 pandemic-induced break, have excited local people and outsiders alike.
The teams from Kottayam that are in the fray this time include the Kumarakom Samudra Boat Club, which will row Anari Chundan, NCDC on Nadubhagom, Vembanad Boat Club on Ayaparambu Pandi, and Kumarakom Town Boat Club on Jawahar Tayankari.
Of these, Anari Chundan has opened a training camp in the Mutherimada river here while the remaining teams, which are currently practicing at Alappuzha in view of the Chambakulam boat race on July 12, are slated to hold sessions here in connection with the Nehru Trophy boat race in September. The practice sessions, which simulate actual race conditions, are held only in the mornings and evenings while the camps comprise orientation classes to the oarsmen and physical training sessions.
“We are starting off with a five-day camp and about half of our 120-member group are in the 18-25 age group who are making their debut this season,” said Abhilash Thottupram of the Kumarakom Samudra Boat Club. Boat race, as a traditional sport, still draws a huge number of youngsters across the lakeside villages here, he added.
As per estimates, it costs up to ₹70 lakh for each team to train and condition their team ahead of major tournaments such as the Nehru trophy. The costs are met in the form of donations to the clubs, sponsorships, and prize money of tournaments, among other things.
“The oarsmen, about a quarter of which are from other States, are hired for a daily wage of ₹1,000 per head and have to be provided with food that are high on protein four times a day. Additionally, there are also costs involved on conditioning of the snakeboat ahead of each event,” said Jameskutty Jacob, president of the Boat Club Association, Kerala.
