At the heart of coastal Karnataka lies the annual festival of Kambala (buffalo racing) which has turned into something more than just a tradition. The festival which gathers a massive crowd, has become a symbol of the people’s emotion. It is not just a buffalo race to them.
Every year Kambala takes place between the month of November and December with its vibrant colours and enthusiastic participants. Last year as the pandemic had left the world in a lockdown, the festival was put on hold. But thankfully the district administration along with the Kambala association has given the green flag this year and the events will start from January 30 onwards.
“We cannot stop having this festival, it’s something which plays a vital role in the life of the people in coastal Karnataka. It’s the farmers festival,” says Prof Gunapal Kadamba, founder secretary of the district Kambala association and the convenor of the Kambala Academy. He explained how the state along with the people had encouraged the association to host the event this year too without missing.
It is believed that Kambala is the festival which originated almost 500 years back among the farming community of coastal Karnataka. The festival is purely dedicated to Kadri’s God Manjunatha, who was an incarnation of Lord Shiva. It is believed that the celebrations happen to please the Gods for good harvest. The festival which can last for 24 hours, attracts up to 50,000 people a year. It is a gathering or an attraction which excites the people living in the area. “Irrespective of caste, creed, religion or culture, the rich and the poor come to take part in this farmers festival,” said Mr Kadamba
“The Kambala festival is a wonderful display of ‘yukti and shakti’ (technique and strength) and the race takes place for a distance of about 135 meters to 150 meters based on the land available,” said Mr Kadamba. The races usually end in a neck-to-neck fight for which this year, the association has installed the electronic laser beam network system at the finish line to select the winners.
“In Modern Kambala festival, about 17 to 20 events are held but this time its limited to just 7 or 8. We have urged people above the age of 60 to not attend the programme and there will be screens attached in the grounds so that people can watch,” says Cptn Brijesh Chowta, President of the Mangaluru Kambala association.
Mangaluru is considered one of the places where Kambala is celebrated in a huge manner. Other areas include, Manjeshwara, Bajagoli, Baradi Beedu, Bolantur, Kolatta Majalu, Puttur, Uppinagadi, Kakyapadavu and more.
In the wake of the pandemic, the association will implement all the preventive measures like wearing masks, keeping distance and sanitising to make sure that the event goes in a smooth way.
Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel, under whose leadership and guidance the festival will take place, had said that the race can occur as long as the COVID-19 guidelines are followed. He said that care should be taken to ensure that children and the elderly did not attend the events. Additional volunteers will be added to supervise the event.
For the people in coastal Karnataka, this event holds several years of history. “This is a tradition which brings people together and hence it should be passed on from generation to generation,” said Mr Chowta
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia commons
Deekshavishwakarma
Sajith mv parappally
