18 Years of All-Kerala Tug of War Contest @ Kottayam:
Do you know that there’s a village in Kottayam that conducts all-Kerala tug of war contest regularly for the last 18 years?
Yes, this small village near Ettumanoor town, called “Cheruvandoor“, has been staging the amazing all-Kerala tug of war contest since the year 1999!
Who conducts this event, and When?
Organized jointly by the People’s Library (established in the year 1948) and Young Star Arts & Sports Club (established in 1998), both at Cheruvandoor, the event is nothing short of a festival for the sports enthusiasts of Cheruvandoor village. The competition that starts in the afternoon goes on until the wee hours of the next day, with flamboyance and cheer.
Held annually during the Onam season, the grand “all-Kerala tug of war contest” is the concluding event of the 1-month-long Onam celebrations by the villagers, under the leadership of the local Library and Young Star Club managements.
An array of festive games and activities, targeting every age group of the village, like “Mittai Perukku“, “Onakkalam“, “Kuttikali” (singles & doubles), “Choondayidal“, “Pakida Kali“, Chess, Caroms, Women’s tug of war, local teams’ tug of war, Marathon & other kids’ games highlight the exhilarating mood of the Onam season.
(Read our article about the CVN Kalari of Cheruvandoor)
How’s the participation for the tug of war contest? What about the prizes?
The participation for the Jumbo event of all-Kerala tug of war contest is huge, and has been steadily on the rise. More than forty teams from all over Kerala fight each other to win attractive prizes, in the recent years.
The prize arrangement for the just-concluded 2017 contest:
- 1st prize: Cash prize of Rs.15,018/- with 7 ever-rolling trophies & one ram (male sheep – “muttanaadu“)
- 2nd prize: Cash prize of Rs.10,018/- with 1 ever-rolling trophy
- 3rd prize: Cash prize of Rs.8018/- with 1 ever-rolling trophy
- 4th prize: Rs.6018/-
- 5th prize: Rs.3018/-
- 6th prize: Rs.3018/-
- 7th prize: Rs.3018/-
- 8th prize: Rs.3018/-
- 9th prize: Rs.2518/-
- 10th prize: Rs.2518/-
- 11th prize: Rs.2518/-
- 12th prize: Rs.2518/-
- 13th prize: Rs.2018/-
- 14th prize: Rs.2018/-
- 15th prize: Rs.2018/-
- 16th prize: Cash prize of Rs.2018/-
Teams that have won the first prize during the last 6 years, with the total number of participant teams each year (given in brackets):
- Year 2017: Nehruji, Ullanad, Pala (from the total 43 teams)
- 2016: Sevens, Meenachil (24)
- 2015: Alliance, Elamakkara (29)
- 2014: Kings, Paravoor (33)
- 2013: New Star, Ponkunnam (28)
- Year 2012: New Star, Ponkunnam (from the total 30 teams)
Office-bearers of the Library & Club as on 19 Oct 2017:
People’s Library:
President: Mr Boban Devasia
Secretary: Mr Rony P Mathew (mobile no: 9847 445540)
Young Star Arts & Sports Club:
President: Mr James Punnakkala
Secretary: Mr Ananthu Thankachan
Watch facebook videos of the event:
Images Gallery:
Location Map of People’s Library, Cheruvandoor:
