7-507: Palliyodam is a type of large snake boat built and used by Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple in the Pathanamthitta district for the annual water processions of Uthrattathi Jalamela and Valla Sadhya in Pamba River . According to the legend, these snake boats were designed by Lord Krishna and were made to look like Sheshanaga , the serpent on which Lord Vishnu rests on. Palliyodam
14-403: A good example of ancient vishwakarma' prowess in naval architecture . Traditionally each boat belongs to a village, and the villagers worship that boat like a deity . Only men are allowed to touch the boat, and to show respect they should be barefooted. To make the boat slippery while in the water and to reduce absorption of water and thereby reduce the resistance of the hull, it is oiled with
21-405: A mixture of fish oil, the ash of coconut shells, and eggs . Repair work is done annually by the village carpenter . Traditionally a boat will be commanded by a village leader ( kaarnavan or karanaadhan ) with first adanayampu , and under him there will be three main paddlers who control the movement of the boat with a 12-foot-long (3.7 m) main rudder-oar ( adanayampu ). Sitting two to
28-406: A row along the length of the boat, there will be 64 paddlers, representing 64 art forms (or on occasion 128 paddlers). They row in rhythm of the vanchipattu ('boat[man's] song'). There will be around 25 singers in a row at the middle between the paddlers. In the middle of the second half of the boat is a platform for eight people to stand from where the cantor will lead the song. They represent
35-531: Is made from anjili (a kind of jackfruit tree). There will be 64 rowers in Palliyodam each representing 64 art forms. And the 4 rowers at the end represent the four Vedas . There are 9 golden shapes at the ends of the Palliyodam which represent the 9 planets( Navagraha ). The Palliyodam is kept inside special sheds called Palliyoda Pura, into which outsiders are not allowed to enter. Only males are allowed to enter
42-463: The Palliyodam and they are allowed only after they followed a prescribed diet and ritual, and also they can't enter inside wearing any other clothing, except the Mundu and a thorthu (a white towel). This article related to Kerala is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Chundan vallam Chundan vallam ('beaked boat'), known outside Kerala as Kerala snake boats , are one of
49-587: The icons of Kerala culture used in the Vallamkali or boat race. Constructed according to specifications taken from the Sthapatya Veda , an ancient treatise for the building of wooden boats, these boats vary from 100 to 138 feet in length. With the rear portion rising to a height of about 20 feet, and a long tapering front portion, it resembles a snake with its hood raised. Hulls are built of planks precisely 83 feet in length and six inches wide. The boats are
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