Kambala: The Buffalo Race To Grace Bengaluru Palace Grounds This November

The traditional Janapada sport of the Karnataka, known as 'Kambala', is scheduled to take place at the Bengaluru Palace Grounds in November of this year.

This Kambala event has been organized to showcase its splendor across the state and the entire country, coinciding with the golden jubilee of Tulu Koota.

Under the guidance of Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai, arrangements are being meticulously put in place for the event's execution. The royal family's consent has also been secured to host the sporting spectacle at the Bengaluru Palace Grounds.

Congress MLA Ashok Rai from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada is overseeing the Kambala preparations in light of the golden jubilee celebrations of Tulu Koota this year. Although permission to utilize the Palace Grounds was granted by the Royal Family of the former Mysuru kingdom, tasks such as constructing the race track are yet to commence.

This traditional sport features buffalos racing through muddy tracks guided by their jockeys and is an annual event celebrated by the local farming communities of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. The Kambala season kicks off in November and extends until March.

Prominent locations where Kambala takes place include Moodabidri, Puttur, Kakkepadavu, Mangaluru, Uppinangady, and Venur.

The participating buffalos are well-fed and cared for by their owners, who regard them as their own. Kambala started gaining statewide attention in 2020 when jockey Srinivas Gowda from Moodabidri set a remarkable record by covering 142.5 meters in just 13.62 seconds.

Comparisons were drawn, suggesting that if Gowda's performance were converted to a 100-meter sprint, he would outpace Olympic legend Usain Bolt by three seconds. Kambala's prominence further rose through the widely acclaimed Kannada film "Kantara," which showcased the sport and the sentiments of the locals in all their grandeur.