Mangaluru Kambala: All you need to know about the lesser-known buffalo race

Hundreds of spectators attended the race and participated in numerous activities in the annual Mangaluru Kambala buffalo race in Mangaluru Karnataka organised by Mangaluru Kambala Samithi on December 27BJP MP and President of the Mangaluru Kambala Samiti also attended the event and highlighted its importanceIt was the ninth edition of this celebration and featured a range of activities to keep attendees in the Tulu Nadu region engaged BJP MP and President of the Mangaluru Kambala Samiti highlighted the significance of this annual celebrationKambala is a celebration of the Tulu Nadu regions cattle crops and culture It is our identity and an integral part of our lifestyle The 9th edition of the Mangaluru Kambala was inaugurated this morning he statedKambala is sort of an identity of ours and part of our lifestyle Kambala is also deeply rooted in our beliefs said ChowtaExplaining the celebrations further he stated that they were factoring the 9th year into the number of activities to ensure inclusivitySince this is the 9th edition of the celebration we are trying to do nine different activities so that people from all walks of life can live and all age groups can participate in this Kambala he saidConnecting the activities to the Tulu Nadu culture he added We are trying to incorporate multiple activities to make Kambala allinclusive highly celebratory participative festive and truly reflective of the spirit of Tulu NaduFor the buffalo race the BJP MP stated that 150 pairs of buffaloes would participateAdditionally he said they hope to create an entertaining evening for everyone involved The celebrations were expected to continue until early morning on December 28We look forward to a very great response from the citizens he concludedThis race is an ageold tradition involving water buffaloes and is deeply rooted in the culture of coastal Karnataka Kambala follows from the expression kampakala the word Kampa means a slushy muddy fieldThe buffaloes are decorated with coloured headpieces made of brass and silver sometimes bearing the emblems of the sun and moon and ropes that make a sort of bridleThe buffaloes for the race are specially reared and trained for the purpose Hosting or participating in a Kambala was a symbol of prestige in the feudal eraKambala is a rural sport in Tulu Nadu Dakshina KannadaUdupi featuring buffaloes racing in slushy paddy fields historically linked to farming rituals and deities such as Lord ShivaIt evolved from a farming practice to a royal pastime among the Hoysala Kings and then to a community event sponsored by landlords and includes races like Negilu plough and Hagga rope with jockeys running alongsideIt was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014 due to cruelty concerns ropes whipping under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 however Karnataka passed the PCA Karnataka Amendment Bill 2017 defining it as a traditional sport which received Presidential assent allowing it to continueA Constitutional Bench upheld these amendments in 2023 similar to the Jallikattu verdictThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever