Kambala – Buffalo race

© Mallikarjuna.D.G. © Mallikarjuna.D.G. Kambala is a rural sport, prominent in districts of Udupi and Mangalore in Karnataka. Kambala is basically a traditional buffalo race in muddy waters, held from December till March. Kambala was the event when farmers paid tribute to their gods for protecting their crops, marked with celebration and games as part of the festive atmosphere. Kambala is also regarded as the beginning of sowing operations for the second round of crops. It is also held on religious occasions, on the days of Kodamantaaya and Jumaadi Bhuta festivals. © Mallikarjuna.D.G. Kambala is traditionally a simple sport. The 'track' used for Kambala is a paddy field filled with slush. The contest generally takes place between two pairs of buffaloes, controlled by a whip-lashing farmer. In olden days, the winning pair of buffaloes were rewarded with coconuts and a bunch of plantains. But, Kambala today has become an organised professional sport. People place massive amounts of bets on the winning buffaloes and one can witness more than 20,000 spectators in a well organised Kambala, egging and cheering the buffaloes to complete the race. © Mallikarjuna.D.G. © Mallikarjuna.D.G. Viewed 3049 Times | Comments (0)

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