Payippadu Vallam Kali

Payippad Vallaarattu or Jalotsavam is a three day water festival. Its conducted in Payippad Lake which is 35 km from Alappuzha district of Kerala state in south India. There is a close relation between this "Payippadu Vallam Kali" and Subramanya Swamy Temple in Haripad.

The legend

The people of the Haripad village decided to build a Sree Ayyappan temple. Before the installation of the idol the people had a vision that they should install the idol of Subrahmanya which they will find in the Kayamkulam river. The exact location of the idol will be under a whirlpool in the river. The people found the idol as per the vision and brought back Subrahmanya vigraha in a boat, escorted by the devotees in other boats ceremoniously. In remembrance of this event a three day water festival is conducted each year, the famous Payippad Jalotsavam. This Jalolsavam is the one of the best in the history of the boat race in India. This is the only one boat race conducting for 3 days. the three days including Thiruvonam, Avittaom, Chathayam etc. It is the snake boats Chundan Vallam which is witnessing the largest crowd. About 3/4 kilometres of either side of the Payipad river (Achankovil river) crowd will be there for enjoing this snake boats. This boat race could be able to mark the tourism map of Kerala. A majority of the snake boats available in Kerala are from this side Anary Puthen Chundan, Karichal, Vellamkulangara, Payipad, Ayaparampu Pandi, Ayaparmpu Valiyadivanji, Cheruthana, Karuvatta, Sri Ganesan are the snakes boats Chundan Vallam belong this place. Karichal, Cheruthana, Pandi, Payipad, Anary etc are the villagers having their own oarsman's team and club.

To see the boat race the relatives of the villagers consisting Cheruthana, Veeyapuram, Harippad, Karuvatta, Kumarpauram, Pallippad are used to come to this place to enjoy this colourful festival of snakeboats Chundan Vallam.