Rhythm Of Love The nilakaars or rhythm makers have a special place in the middle of the boat. The oarsmen, a study in synchronised motion, will row according to the rhythm set by the nilakaars who use their wooden sticks to beat on steel drums. The nilakaars’ repeated cries of ‘‘Swami, Appa Ayappa’’ enthuses the team to put in their best effort. Says Karthikeyan, captain of a leading boat team, ‘‘This is a unique combination of the mass concentration into a single rhythm.’’ Ladies Special A picture of poise, the women’s team wearing traditional mundus and flowers in their hair, splice the waters with the oars of their thekkanodi, a smaller version of the snake boat. All About Rituals A day to go, team members catch up on some much needed rest. However, not everyone is as lucky. Someone has to ready the boat for the race. Its sides are sand-papered, and dried and polished with grease, a secret ritual performed at the crack of dawn. On D-day, at an auspicious time, the bedecked boat is launched into the water after a short pooja and a ride to the nearest temple or church. Post-celestial appeasement, there are other pressing matters. Like the ‘love feast’, where all participating teams lunch together.. Folk Fun Artistes perform Theyyam, a folk art form, on one of the houseboats in a procession that livens up the festival. The race provides a platform to showcase Kerala’s cultural arts, with artistes performing Kathakali, Kaikottikali and Theyyam.
