Kambala

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For the school in Australia, see Kambala School.

Famed Kambala Race of Kadri, Mangalore

A Kambala Race at Pilikula Nisargadhama

Kambala (Tulu: ) is an annual Buffalo Race (he-buffalo) held traditionally under the auspices
local land lords and households (Aramane,Beedu,Guthu/Mane, Dodmane) or Patel of village, in
coastal Karnataka, India. The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts until March.
Since the last two decades nearly 18 kambalas are held under the banner of Kambala Samithi
(Kambala Association). As of now, more than 45 he-buffalo races are held annually in Coastal
Karnataka, even in smaller remote villages like Vandaru, Gulvadi etc.

Kambala, he-buffaloe race at Vandaru village, Udupi dist., India

Contents
[hide]

1 Format

1.1 Kadri kambala

1.2 Care for buffaloes

2 Opposition by Animal Lovers

3 See also

4 References

5 External links

Format[edit]
Kambala is traditionally a simple sport which provides much needed entertainment to the rural
people.[1] The 'track' used for Kambala is a paddy field filled with slush and mud. [2] The contest
generally takes place between two pairs of buffaloes, each pair raced in wet rice fields, controlled by
a whip-lashing farmer.[3] In olden days, the winning pair of buffaloes was rewarded with coconuts and
a bunch of plantains and nowadays, gold coins, silver coins are given; [4] in some competitions, cash
award is also in vogue. Some organising committees award eight gram gold coin as first prize.
[5]
However, Kambala today has become an organised rural sport, with elobarate planning and
timetable for Kambala at different places.[6] The "Kambala Committee" is formed and it usually
arranges Kambala in several categories likeKane Halage, Hagga Hiriya, Hagga Kiriya,
[6]
Halage, Adda Halage[5] etc. People place massive bets on the buffaloes to win and one can witness
more than 20,000 spectators in a well-organised Kambala, egging on and cheering the buffaloes to
complete the race.
In traditional form of Kambala, racing is non-competitive, and he-buffalo pairs run one by one in
paddy fields. A ritualistic approach is also there, as some agriculturists race their he-buffaloes for
thanks giving (to god) for protecting their animals from diseases.(e.g.in Vandaru,Choradi villages)
Innovations are made in conducting kambala race and in some places day and night races are
arranged under floodlights.[5]

Kadri kambala[edit]
Kadri Kambala used to be held at Kadri, Mangalore and it is called Devara Kambala (God's
kambala) as it is allociated with Sri Manjunatha Temple, Kadri, Mangalore. [6] This event was
patronised by Alupa kings of Mangalore who were the rules 300 years ago and for this reason, Kadri
kambala is also known as Arasu kambala (king's kambala).[6]

Care for buffaloes[edit]

The buffaloes developed for the race are carefully fed and some owners of the buffaloes have even
built separate swimming pool for competing buffaloes.[7]

Opposition by Animal Lovers[edit]

Kambala has been criticised by animal lovers as they perpetuate cruelty[8] due to the use of whips on
the racing buffaloes. Noted animal-rights activist, Mrs. Maneka Gandhi has expressed serious
concerns about the ill treatment of buffaloes during the race. Kambala organisers, on their part,
contend that if whips are not used on the buffaloes, they may not run with speed in the race.
Government officials are advising the riders to be gentle on buffaloes and avoid using whips during

the race.[8] Kambala still continues to draw rural crowd, as it used to draw large crowd, traditionally
since last three hundred years.[9]

Town/Village

Taluk

Date of
Kambala

Kadri[2]

Mangalore

December

Vandaru

Kundapura

December

Pilikula[4]

Mangalore December/January

Choradi

Kundapura

Gulvadi

Appx.
pairs

Image

Remakrs

Competitive
race:Much famed

300

Non competitive
race

150[10]

Competitive race

December

150

Non competitive
rural sport

Kundapura

December

200

Non competitive
rural sport

Baradi beedu

Karkala

December

Venur Permuda

Belthangad
i

December

Moodubidre

Mangalore

December

Miyyaru

Karkala

January

Town/Village

Taluk

Date of
Kambala

Katapadi beedu

Udupi

January

Ikala Bava

Mangalore

February

Adve, Nandikur

Udupi

January

Pajir

Bantwala

February

Yeedu

Karkala

February

Puttur

Puttur

March

Jappina
Mogaru[5]

Mangalore

March[5]

Uppinangadi

Puttur

March

Bangadi Kolli

Belthangad
i

March

Thalapady
Panjala

Mangalore

March/April

Althar

Udupi

March/April

Hokkadi goli

Bantwala

December

Handadi

Udupi

December

Appx.
pairs

150[5]

Image

Remakrs

Town/Village

Taluk

Date of
Kambala

Vaddambettu[11]

Udupi

December[11]

Ajri[12]

Udupi

December

Mulki seeme

Mangalore

December

Appx.
pairs

Image

Remakrs

Thonse Padumane Kambala Kemmannu, Padu Thonse. Udupi November

See also[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Kambala.

References[edit]
1.

Jump up^ Chaudhari, edited by Sarit K. Chaudhari, Sucheta Sen (2005). Primitive tribes in
contemporary India : concept, ethnography and demography. New Delhi: Mittal Publications.
p. 120. ISBN 9788183240260.

2.

^ Jump up to:a b "Kadri comes alive with Kambala', fair". The Hindu. 13 December 2010.
Retrieved 7 December 2012.

3.

Jump up^ Herzberg, Esther Grisham,Christine Ronan,editor-Roberta Dempsey

(1997). South India (sb ed. ed.). Glenview, IL: Good Year Books. p. 5. ISBN 9780673363596.

4.

^ Jump up to:a b "Kambala". The Hindu. 26 December 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2012.

5.

^ Jump up to:a b c d e f "Day and night kambala in Jeppinamogaru on March 19". The Hindu. 16
March 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2012.

6.

^ Jump up to:a b c d "All set for Kambala season from tomorrow". The Hindu. 5 December 2009.
Retrieved 7 December 2012.

7.

Jump up^ "Chill-out zone for buffaloes". The Hindu. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 7
December 2012.

8.

^ Jump up to:a b "Pilikula Nisargadhama plays host to Kambala". The Hindu. 10 January 2012.
Retrieved 7 December 2012.

9.

Jump up^ "Kadri Kambala witnesses confluence of Tulu culture". Deccan Herald. 2
December 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.

10.

Jump up^ "Grandeur marks Pilikula Kambala". The Hindu. 22 December 2008. Retrieved 7
December 2012.

11.

^ Jump up to:a b "Federation says Koraga people made to beat drums during kambala". 15
December 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2012.

12.

Jump up^ "Ajri Kambala". Kundaprabha (weekly). 4 December 2012. Retrieved 7

December 2012.

13. http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newsid=401890&newstype=local