Kerala's snake boat may sail down the Thames

Kerala's famed snake boats attract thousands to the annual boat race in Punnamada Lake. Now, if all goes well, one of the over 100-ft-long boats may take to the waters of the Thames River as part of a trial run of the inaugural ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.

The huge boat unique to Kerala along with around 120 oarsmen would be showcased June 9 at an event attended by the Queen.

The proposal to include the snake boat in the ceremony along with boats from other parts of the world was mooted by Keraleeyam, a cultural organisation that has members in the state and across the globe, including Britain, said state Sports Minister M. Vijayakumar.

'It would be a trial run with important dignitaries like the Queen witnessing the event. They approached us and we decided to do our bit. We have been told by Malayalees coordinating the event in London that the first round of sanctions have come from the British government,' Vijayakumar said.

But there are some stumbling blocks like the logistics involved in shipping the boat and the oarsmen apart from the required funds.

Text: IANS

Image: A view of the snake boat race in Aranmula, Kerala. (Photograph copyright Getty Images)