Kambala, the popular traditional buffalo race of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi in Karnataka and Kasaragod districts (Kerala) will begin from October 26 and end on April 19.
DH Photo/Fakruddin H
Kambala, the popular traditional buffalo race of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi in Karnataka and Kasaragod districts (Kerala) will begin from October 26 and end on April 19.
A decision on scheduling the Kambala events was taken during the annual meeting of Zilla Kambala Samithi (DK, Udupi and Kasargod) held on Saturday, Samithi Preident Deviprasad Shetty told DH.
The first kambala of the season will be held in Bengaluru and the final kambala of the season will be held in Shivamogga. This season will have 25 kambala events, he added.
He said; “a year ago, Kambala was introduced in Bengaluru. This year, it will be held in Shivamogga. There was a demand to organise Kambala event in Shivamogga. Samithi members had visited Shivamogga to finalise the venue. The meeting also decided to continue kambala organised by Dr Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama at Pilikula in November.
"DK Deputy Commissioner will be the chairperson of the Pilikula Kambala. He has promised to support the kambala. In fact, kambala at Pilikula was last held in 2014. However, it was stopped after PETA raised objections against holding all types of Kambala events citing cruelty to animals," he recollected. The meeting also decided to stress on discipline, timings during Kambala events.
It was decided to complete kambala event within 24 hours and not delay the race unnecessarily. A new rule that a kambala jockey who previously ran with five to six pairs of buffaloes will be limited to a maximum of three pairs in a kambala event received approval of members. A bylaw on discipline in kambala was also accepted.
The meeting also decided to give priority to introduction of technology including siren, sensor, CC Camera with the objective to ensure that Kambala event is completed within the time frame, Shetty emphasised.