Representative image of kambala.
Credit: DH Photo
Mangaluru: Zilla Kambala Samithi (Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod) and disciplinary committee of the Samithi have issued a new set of rules to ensure that Kambala events are completed within 24 hours.
Samithi president Deviprasad Shetty on Tuesday said that the new rules focus on timings in all categories of the competitions. Shetty said a kambala jockey who previously ran with five to six pairs of buffaloes will be limited to a maximum of three categories in each Kambala.
The Kambala manager and one person deployed from the Samithi should be present throughout the event from the start of the competition to the end. Separate seating arrangements will be made for the buffalo owners during the time of the competition and none will be allowed to enter the room of the referee. The Samithi has fixed a timetable for the referees, too.
He said Kambala event should begin at 9 am and end at 9 am the following day. In the case of traditional kambala, it should commence at 10.30 am and conclude at 10.30 am on the following day. Thirty minute is provided for the buffaloes to enter the kare (track). If the time is up, then they will have to go towards the gate, said the rules.
Announcements will be made one hour prior to the competition timing for the buffaloes to enter the track in the Hagga category of Kambala race. In each category, time has been set for the competition time viz Hagga hiriya (10 minutes), Negilu hiriya (9 minutes), Hagga kiriya (seven minutes), negilu kiriya (5 minutes). Timer has been installed at the venue to make the event more accurate and timely, said Shetty.
DC inspects Kambala field
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP on Tuesday inspected the Kambala field in front of Guthina Mane at Pilikula for hosting Kambala during the year.
Deviprasad Shetty said that there are plans to host Kambala at Pilikula after several years. A five-day long Tulu Utsava also on the cards along with Kambala at Pilikula.
MLC Manjunath Bhandari had appealed to the chief minister to host Kambala utsava at Pilikula under the direction of the District in Charge Minister.
If everything goes well as per the plan, Pilikula Kambala is likely to be government sponsored Kambala, Shetty added.
As per the calendar of the Samithi, Pilikula Kambala is scheduled on November 9. “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 said.