Aranmula known for snake boat race, temple and metal mirrors, is a beautiful heritage village, on the banks of River Pampa, in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala state, India. It is on the left bank of the river, on its flow direction, a 9 kilometers ahead of Chenganoor town and 3 kilometers after Kozhencherry town .

Aranmula Snake Boat Race

Aranmula Snake Boat Race or Aranmula Vallamkali, as it is known in the local language of Malayalam, is held annually on Uthrattathi or Uthrittathi day, usually the 4th day after Thiru Onam. Aranmula Snake boat race is conducted during the Onam (or Thruonam) Festival Season. Thiruonam is Kerala’s traditional harvest festival, celebrated during August or September. Aranmula Snake boat race is a canoe racing activity among nearby villages.

There are 52 Palliyodams or snakebotes; 35 in group A and 17 in group B as of 2024 September 18th. Group A snake boats are lengthier than group A snakeboots.

Each boat is more than 30 feet long with a minimum of 124 oarsmen rowing; 15 others will be standing on the boat singing Vanchipaattu; the traditional song encouraging the oarsmen. These snake boats are decorated with Kerala’s traditional golden lace, flag, and colorful umbrellas. Only men are allowed to row the snake-boats in these races. Nobody wears a shirt or footwear. Traditional Mundu, also known as Vesti, and white Turban (towel) to head, are the visible dress code followed. It is a pleasure watching these snake boats glide swiftly through the water.

Boat races are the highlight of Kerala Tourism during the Onam season. Allapuzha Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Champakulam Moolam Boat Race, Neerattupuram Boat Race, etc., are to name a few boat races in Kerala.

Aranmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali 2024 Update

The snake boat race is to be held on the 18th of September 2024 at Aranmula, in the afternoon. Winners of each round will go straight to the finals in this year. Each round will have three or four Palliyodams.

Muthuvazhi palliyodam which met with an accident on the 17th Sep 2024 in another boat race at Chenganoor, will not be taking part in 2024 races. Hence, a total of 51 palliyodams will take part in the procession that is conducted before the races and 49 in the boat races. Mallapuzhassery palliyodam and Kuriannoor palliyodams will not take part in the races this year.

Koyipuram won the Mannam Trophy in Group A, while Kottathur won in Group B.

Aranmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali 2023 Update

The 2023 Aranmula Snake boat race alias Aranmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali is held on the afternoon of the 2nd of September, 2023.

In 2023, 48 snake boats are participating in the Uthrattathi Vallamkali or Uthrattathi Boat race in two batches.

Batch A has 32 boats in 9 groups; five groups have four snake boats each, while the remaining four group matches have three snake boats each. Batch B has 16 snake boats in 4 group matches; each group comprising of four snake boats.

Edaseerimala and Edakulam are the Winners of the Mannam Trophy, in Group A and Group B, respectively.

List of Aranmula Palliyodams

The list of 52 Palliyodams or snake boats that participates in the Ananmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali 2024 are listed below in the alphabetical order of their names.

Aarattupuzha, Aiyroor, Chennithala, Cherukol. Cheriyerambu, eduakulam, Edanadu, Edappavoor, Edappavoor Peroor, Edasserimala, Edaseerimala Kizaku, Edayaranmula, Edayaranmula Kizakku, Kadapra, Kattor, Keekozur, Keezhukara, Keezhuvanmazhy, Keezhcherimel, Kizakken-Othera Kunnekad, Kodiyattukara, Koyipuram , Kottathur, Kozhencherry, Kurianoor, Laka Edayaranmula, Maalakkara, Mallapuzassery, Mangalam, Maramon, Mazukeer, Melukara, Mundankaavu, Muthavazhi, Nedumprayar, Nellikal, Othara, Poovathur Kizakku, Poovathur Padinjaaru, Prayar, Pullupram, Punnamthottam, Puthukulanjara, Ranni, thekkemuri, Themmemuri Kizakku, Thottapuzasseri, Thaimaravumkara, Umayattukara, Vanmazhi, Varayanoor, and Venpala.

Anamula Parthasarathy Temple

Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple, Kerala, India.

Anamula Parthasarathy temple is a temple that is one of the ancient temples dedicated to Lord Parthasarathy or Lord Krishna. Thanka Anki, meaning the Golden dress of Sabarimala temple’s deity, Lord Aiyappa, , is kept at Aranmula. It was donated by the Travancore royal family. It is taken to Sabarimala temple every year for a few days, around Dec 22nd or so. The backside of the temple is the holy river Pamba.

Temple celebrates its annual festival during the Malayalam regional calendar’s month of Meenam. It is believed that Lord Aiyappa of Sabarimala temple, after getting the Tiger’s milk from Sabrimala, came to Aranmula in a country boat made of six bamboos and landed at the site of the temple, on his return journey to Pandalam palace, where his parents were residing. Thus, the name Aranmula. Aru means six in many south Indian languages, and Mula means bamboo in Malayalam, the local language of Kerala.

Aranmula Valla Sadhya or Vallasadya

Valla Sadhya is offered by the devotees as a Vazhipadu Lord Parthasarathy alias Lord Krishna, at the Aranmula Parthasarathy temple. It can be offered to any of the Palliyodams. This practice is there only at Aranmula temple.

Note: Vazhipadu means offering something to God. Palliyodams are the snake boats that participates in the Aranmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali that is the Aranmula Snake Boat Race. Uthrittathi is a day in Malayalam calendar.

The oarsmen will row the specific Palliyodam to which the vallasadya is offered to the back side of the temple through the river Pampa. The oarsmen will be welcomed by the hosts, in the traditional method. They will offer Nirapara to the presiding deity at the Nadappanthal that is located in front of the gold plated temple mast, that can be seen once you enter the temple premises.

Note: Nirapaa is a filled para with husked rice and bunches of coconut tree flowers. Para is a large container that is used to measure rice in olden days.

The oarsmen will circumambulate the temple by singing the Vanchi pattu. Vanchi means boat and Pattu means song. Vanchipattu or Vanchi pattu is the traditional song that is sung to encourage oarsmen while rowing the Palliyodams or snake boats. After offering prayers to the presiding deity, Lord Parthasarathy, there is the grand traditional feast known as Vallasadya. Oarsmen will request the different food items through valchi pattu is a custom at Aranmula vallasadya. Three short such song clips are attached.

Vallasadya dates for 2024 are from Aug 17th to Sep 29th. Vallasadya is free for all on the day of Lord Krishna’s birthday, known as Ashtami Rohini day,

Aranmula Metal Mirrors

Aranmula metal mirrors are handmade from special metal alloys.

Aranmula Metal Mirror, or Anamula Kannadi, is handmade with metal alloys. Unlike mercury-coated mirrors, which have mercury at the backside, these mirrors reflect the image from the front of the mirror. The exact metals used to make the mirrors are still a secret to the outside world. It is made of some alloys and takes many days of polishing by hand to make it smooth.

There is also the famous VastuVidyaGurukulam, supported by the government, which promotes the traditional art, culture, and heritage of Aranmula.

How Do I Go To Aranmula?

Aranmula is 110 kilometers from the capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, previously known as Trivandrum. Chenganoor is the nearest railway station to the Aranmula snake boat race site, nine kilometers away. Aranmula is well connected by roads. Cochin International Airport and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport are around 110 to 125 kilometers away, receptively, from Aranmula.

Being a small village, there are no hotels at Aranmula. You can stay at Malakkarethu House or Thundiyathu Homes. The first one, Malakkarethu house, is next to the boating race pavilion, where VIPs are seated on the banks of the river Pampa. From here, you can see the snake boat gliding through the river from a long distance and see them pass right in front of you until the finishing point. Thundiyath home is 100 feet from Malakkarethu’s house at Ikkara Mukku (or Ikkara Junction), Aranmula.