ALAPPUZHA: Marking the end of an era, Nadubhagam Boat Club (NBC), which owns Nadubhagam Chundan, has decided to sell the iconic snake boat as it is facing financial constraints in preserving the vessel.
The boat, which won the boat race in 1952 – a victory that saw India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru jumping onto the vessel after it crossed the finish line – became a white elephant for the NBC, especially following the commissioning of the Nadubhagam Puthen Chundan in 2015. NBC president Sunny Vadakkanad said the club is now looking for buyers for the boat.
“Preserving both the old and new boats is a huge financial burden on the club. Nadubhagam Chundan possesses historic value since Nehru had hopped on it and traversed the Kuttanad backwaters. Covered in plastic sheets, the boat is now kept near the Nedumudi panchayat office in Kuttanad. We will not be able to preserve it for long,” he said.
Sunny said though they explored several avenues to preserve the boat, including constructing a museum for it, funding posed a problem. “Constructing the museum would require around `30 lakh to `40 lakh. We approached the archaeology department to protect the boat, but they are not ready. We approached the state government and several other agencies with the same request but to no avail,” said NBC secretary Johny N George. He said maintenance of the new boat costs around `3 lakh per year, and the club manages it from donations of its members.
“During races, fans clubs helped immensely. If a person or establishment is ready, we will hand over the boat for a reasonable amount,” Johny said. Villagers of Nadubhagam constructed the snake boat, which touched the water for the first time in 1927. It participated in several races in the Kuttanad backwaters.
When Nehru arrived in Alappuzha in 1952, the district administration organised a boat race for him. Nadubhagam Chundan won in it, following which Nehru hopped onto the boat and travelled with rowers along the backwaters. He also offered a silver trophy signed by him. Later, the major boat race in Kuttanad was named the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, after him. Since 1952, the NBC modified the boat three times.
By 2010, it became unsuitable for races and was shifted to Vallappura in Nedumudi. It has not been used in races after 2013. “Without periodic maintenance, we cannot preserve both boats,” said NBC treasurer Devarajan Poothara. “The wood will rot and the boat will gradually be destroyed if we fail to carry out maintenance work regularly,” he said.