Kambala

For the school in Australia, see Kambala School.

Kambala (or Kambla/Kambula) is an annual buffalo race held in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka. Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi of Karnataka and Kasaragod of Kerala, a region collectively known as Tulu Nadu.

Famed Kambala Race of Kadri, Mangalore

A Kambala Race at Pilikula Nisargadhama

The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts until March. The Kambalas are organized through Kambala samithis (Kambala Associations), of which there are currently 18. Over 45 races are held annually in coastal Karnataka, including smaller remote villages such as Vandaru and Gulvadi.

Kambala, race at Vandaru village, Udupi district, India

Etymology

Kambala is derived from 'kampa-kala', where the word 'Kampa' is related slushy, muddy field. The Dravidian origin of the word Kampa is kan+pa and 'kala' means field, where it is conducted. Another interpretation of modern Kambala is derived from 'Kamba', a pole used for water spurt during race by buffalo pairs.^[1]

Format

 

Puttur Koti - Chennaya Kambula

Kambala is a sport.^[2] The Kambala racetrack is a slushy paddy field,^[3] and the buffaloes are driven by a whip-lashing farmer.^[4]

Traditional Kambala was non-competitive, and the pair was run one by one. In modern Kambala, the contest generally takes place between two pairs of buffaloes. In villages such as Vandaro and Choradi, there is also a ritualistic aspect, as farmers race their buffaloes to give thanks for protecting them from diseases.

Historically, the winning pair of buffaloes was rewarded with coconuts and bananas. Today, winning owners earn gold and silver coins.^[5] Some organising committees award an eight-gram gold coin to the winner.^[6] In some competitions, cash prizes are awarded.

Decoration of Buffalo

The buffaloes are decorated with coloured jhūls and head-pieces made of brass and silver (sometimes bearing the emblems of the sun and moon), and ropes which make a sort of bridle. The special towel used to cover the buffalo's back is called the paavade (Tulu:ಪಾವಡೆ).

Types of Kambalas

Traditionally, there were types of Kambalas

1. Pookere Kambala
2. Baare Kambla
3. Kori Kambala
4. Arasu Kambla
5. Devere Kambla^[7]
6. Baale Kambala

Kori Kambla

Kori Kambla is a distinct agriculture-based celebration in Tulunadu. This refers to a kind of collective ploughing and planting on a fixed day for the enelu (Tulu: ಏಣೆಲ್) cultivation. A general race of buffaloes is known as kori (kandoe korune)[1] Kambala.

Bale Kambla

The celebration of Bale Kambala was discontinued about 900 years ago. Bale means baby. During Small kambala, the small-scale farmers prepare their field for paddy cultivation.

Natha Pantha

The kambla influenced by Natha pantha,^[8] in earlier days, the Kambla starts previous day evening with tradition dance of Koraga communities mostly by men. They performing full night with following all Panchamakara madya (Alcohol), māṃsa (Meat), matsya (Fish), mudrā (Gesture), maithuna (Sexual). The Koragas were sit up through the night before the Kambla day, performing a ceremony called panikkuluni, the meaning of word sitting under the dew. They sing songs to the accompaniment of their special kind of band dudi, about their special spirit daiva Nīcha, and offer toddy and a rice-pudding boiled in a large earthen pot, which is broken so that the pudding remains as a solid mass. This pudding is called kandēl addyē, or pot pudding.^[9]

Innovations

Kambala has become an organised rural sport, with elaborate planning and scheduling to accommodate competitions at different places.^[10] A "Kambala Committee" arranges races in several categories describing the outfitting of the buffaloes. Typical categories are:

• Nāyer(ನಾಯೆರ್): The runner have hold kind of special plough, it is not an actual plough which is heavy and bulky made by wood or iron, it is just a representation that is tied to a pair of buffalo. This type is mostly for the junior buffaloes or entry-level buffaloes. In the competition there are junior and senior rounds in this race.
• Bal (ಹಗ್ಗ: rope), A rope is directly tied to the buffalo pair. And this is for senior buffaloes as the speed is greater here and the participating buffaloes are well experienced. Runner running aside of buffalo holding knots in the rope. This has junior and senior levels.
• Aḍḍa palāyi (ಅಡ್ಡ ಪಲಾಯಿ: cross wooden block),A cross wooden plank is tied to the pair and the runner stands on it while racing. The wooden plank horizontally placed to muddy water, the runner stands on the plank. This is just for the senior category.^[11]
• Kaṇe palāyi (ಕಣೆ ಪಲಾಯಿ: round wooden block), a special made round wooden block where the runner stands on it on his single leg. There will special techniques with two holes in the block of wooden, which act like orifice, out of which the water forces out while running. The height of the water forcing out is measured to choose the winner. The more the speed is more the water height is. It would be 6 kolu or 7 Kolu there will a horizontal white cotton flag is installed so the general people judge the winner by eyewitness. Commonly it is called Nishaneg Neer Padune and this is only for senior most category.^[12]

Kambala draws large rural crowds, as it has done for the last three hundred years.^[13] People bet on the buffaloes, 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 some places, night races are arranged under floodlights.^[6]

The buffaloes developed for the race are carefully fed and some owners have even built separate swimming pools for competing buffaloes.^[14]

Kadri Kambala

Kadri Kambala used to be held at Kadri, Mangalore and it is called Dēvere Kambla (God's Kambala) as it is associated with Sri Manjunatha Temple in that city.^[10] This event was patronised by the Alupa kings of Mangalore, 300 years ago. For this reason, Kadri Kambala is also known as Arasu Kambala (King's Kambala).^[10]

Legal status

Many have criticised Kambala as cruel to the racing buffaloes, which are driven by whips.^[15] Noted animal-rights activist Maneka Gandhi expressed concerns about the ill treatment of buffaloes during the race. While Kambala organizers contend that whips are necessary to elicit maximum speed, government officials advise the riders to be gentle on buffaloes and avoid using whips during the race.^[15]

In 2014, based on lawsuits filed by animal welfare organizations, the Supreme Court of India ordered a ban on Kambala. The ban also covered Jallikattu, a sport of hands-on bull taming. A government order lifted the ban on Jallikattu in January 2017,^[16] and the public asked for the ban on Kambala to be lifted, too.^[17]

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance, 2017^[18] re-legalized the Kambala festival in Karnataka.^[19] Then-President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, promulgated the new law on 3 July 2017. Litigation continued but was resolved by the passage of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2018, which then-President Ram Nath Kovind approved on 19 February 2018.^[20]

However, after the relegalization, it was found that the buffaloes were still being whipped during the race.^[21]

Schedule

Town/Village	Taluk	Date of Kambala	Appx. pairs	Image	Remarks
Kadri	Mangalore	December			Competitive race / Much famed
Vandaru	Kundapura	December	300		Non competitive race
Pilikula^[5]	Mangalore	December/January	150^[22]		Competitive race
Choradi	Kundapura	December	150		Non competitive rural sport
Gulvadi	Kundapura	December	200		Non competitive rural sport
Baradi beedu	Karkala	December			Competitive race
Venur Permuda	Belthangadi	December
Moodabidri	Mangalore	December			Competitive race
Miyar	Karkala	January			Lava Kusa Jodukere Kambala.
Katapadi beedu	Udupi	January			Competitive race
Aikala Bava	Mangalore	February			Competitive race
Adve, Nandikur	Udupi	January			Competitive race
Pajir	Bantwala	February
Yeedu	Karkala	February
Puttur	Puttur	March
Jappina Mogaru^[6]	Mangalore	March^[6]	150^[6]
Uppinangadi	Puttur	March
Bangadi Kolli	Belthangadi	March
Thalapady Panjala	Mangalore	March/April
Althar	Udupi	March/April
Parika Aramane	Udupi	November/December
Hokkadi goli	Bantwala	December
Handadi	Udupi	December
Vaddambettu^[23]	Udupi	December^[23]
Ajri^[24]	Udupi	December
Mulki seeme	Mangalore	December			Competitive race

See also

• Pacu jawi, a similar type of race held in Tanah Datar, West Sumatra, Indonesia.
• Sport in India - overview of sport
• Jallikattu - Traditional man- bullfight in Tamilnadu
• Pola race - Annual Bull racing in Maharashtra on Pola festival day
• Flying duck race (pacu itiak) in Payakumbuh, West Sumatra
• Karapan sapi, chariot-style bull racing in Madura, Indonesia

References

1. TuLunadina ShasanagaLa Sanskritika Adhyayana. By Shaila T. Verma (2002) Jnanodaya Prakashana,Bangalore, p.304.
2. 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. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
3. . The Hindu. 13 December 2010. Archived from the original on 19 December 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
4. Herzberg, Esther Grisham,Christine Ronan,editor-Roberta Dempsey (1997). South India (sb ed.). Glenview, IL: Good Year Books. p. 5. ISBN 9780673363596. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
5. "Kambala". The Hindu. 26 December 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
6. "Day and night kambala in Jeppinamogaru on March 19". The Hindu. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
7. https://Kambala:A sport and a tradition, 7 February 2017, Deccan Herald/content/595115/kambala-sport-tradition.html
8. Tuluvara mooltāna Adi Alade Paramrapare mattu Parivartane by Dr. Indira Hegde, [Navakaranataka,Bangalore,2012,p.278]
9. Karavali Janapada 1990, Mangalagangothri by Dr. Purushothama Bilimale, p.36
10. "All set for Kambala season from tomorrow". The Hindu. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
11. KAMBALA: THE RACE OF THE BUFFALOES, http://www.dineshmaneer.com/kambala-the-race-of-the-buffaloes/
12. Dinesh Maneer (7 April 2011). "Kambala, the race of the buffaloes". Wordpress. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
13. "Kadri Kambala witnesses confluence of Tulu culture". Deccan Herald. 2 December 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
14. "Chill-out zone for buffaloes". The Hindu. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
15. "Pilikula Nisargadhama plays host to Kambala". The Hindu. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
16. Ramakrishnan, T. "Governor clears ordinance on 'jallikattu'". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
17. "Jallikattu Back, Why Not Kambala, Asks Karnataka. Protests Begin". NDTV.com.
18. Ravi, Anusha (3 July 2017). "Kambala is now legal in Karnataka, President promulgates ordinance". Oneindia.
19. Kumar, Ganesh; Udayakumar, Radha (3 July 2017). "President Mukherjee approves ordinance allowing the conduct of kambala in Karnataka". India Today.
20. K.T. Vinobha (19 February 2018). "President approves Bill allowing Kambala in Karnataka". The Times of India.
21. Chethan Misquith (3 December 2017). "Buffaloes whipped again enough evidence against Kambala: PETA | Mangaluru News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
22. "Grandeur marks Pilikula Kambala". The Hindu. 22 December 2008. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
23. "Federation says Koraga people made to beat drums during kambala". 15 December 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
24. "Ajri Kambala". Kundaprabha (weekly). 4 December 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kambala.

• Specialities -> Kambala
• More about Kambala
• A photo documentary on Kambala
• Modbidri Kambala