 Kerala has always shown a keen interest in the field of sports and games and the state has produced some of the best athletes and stars in cricket and football.The Kerala Sports Council at Trivandrum holds a number of sports events including acquatic sports. In all important towns and cities,facilities for indoor and outdoor games for the sportsman are available.Cricket, Hockey, Football, Baseball and Tennis are the popular games played in the state.Besides,the town of Alleppey is famous for its backwater cruises and boat races. The fantastic boat races are pure adrenalin,with 30 metre-long snake-shaped boats, and hundreds of oarsmen singing loudly as they tug at the oars, competing for the most coveted prize in these parts.
Another form of entertainment which has been recognized in the state is Kalarippayattu. This gives considerable importance to both brain and brawn. Development of physique and great concentration are essential to excel in this sport which has become part of Keralas history through the exploits of Thacholi Udayanan and Unniyarcha, the prominent characters of Vadakkan Pattu. In the olden days, the Nair Community alone had the right to engage in Kalarippayattu. With the assumption of British rule, the feuds between local kings and chieftains got reduced. Then the Kalari Asans and performers turned to occupations such as agriculture and administrative jobs. The Kalaris had to be closed down. Yet even now in certain centres, Kalarippayattu is performed with great fervour and enthusiasm. This martial art is not fully dead even though its importance has waned considerably.
|
