Pathanamthitta: In a gripping contest, Mallapuzhassery's snakeboat won the Batch-A finals of the Aranmula boat race on Sunday.

Mallapuzhassery beat Kuriannoor by a slight margin. The other participants in the race were Laka Edayaranmula and Chirayirambu.

Edappavoor won the Batch-B finals after beating Vanmazhi and Pulupram.

Thousands gathered on the banks of the Pampa river to watch the oldest river boat festival in Kerala.

Snakeboat races were added to the Aranmula festival only in 1972.

This time, 49 snakeboats participated in the contest.

Each snakeboat is representative of different regions on the banks of river Pampa.

It is men from these regions who oar the boat for the race.

Each snakeboat will usually have 4 helmsmen, rowers and singers.