Snake boat race: the winning oars 6 Photos . Updated: 27 Sep 2014, 12:12 AM IST Livemint During the annual snake boat races, oars and boats chop up the usually placid backwaters of Alleppey, Kerala. In images 1/6Photographs by Anoop Krishnan. Locals fishing for catfish in the irrigation canals of Alleppey. 2/6A women’s team doing a practice run. 3/6Craftsmen working on a snake boat. 4/6Contestants practising on Punnamada Lake, a day before the race. 5/6Paddy fields provide a lush background to the lake. 6/6The scenic Vembanad Lake.