Kambala in Mysuru Dasara: Debate over culture and cost

The Karnataka government’s proposal to include Kambala, the traditional slush-track buffalo race native to the coastal districts, for the first time in this year’s Mysuru Dasara has sparked a controversy.

Those opposed to it have pointed to what they call Kambala’s “incompatibility with the heritage and cultural identity” of Dasara and questioned the need to include a cost- and water-intensive sport when Karnataka is staring at a severe drought. The argument in favour of it has been that Dasara is celebrated as a State festival (Nada Habba) in Mysuru and that the buffalo race, being one of the oldest folk traditions in the State, should be showcased.

Preparations begin

Preparations for the Kambala have, in fact, begun, with the organising committee, headed by Ashok Kumar Rai, Puttur MLA, chalking out a plan to lay a slush track, gallery and other facilities. A plot, measuring around 17 acres, in Sathagalli in Mysuru, has been identified as the venue for the Kambala and is being readied.

Meanwhile, stakeholders — buffalo owners, jockeys, referees, helpers and organisers — at a meeting held in Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada on July 19, agreed to participate in the Mysuru Kambala, likely to be held on October 18 and October 19, said Belapu Deviprasad Shetty, president of the Karnataka State Kambala Association.

“The Mysuru event will be an opportunity to showcase the culture of Kambala to others who are not familiar with it,” said N. Vijayakumar Kanginamane, general secretary of the association.

Two kinds of Kambala

Experts point out that while ‘Devara Kambalas’ are strictly ritualistic events bound to the land and tradition, other Kambala events held across coastal Karnataka have acquired the character of a competitive sport involving prizes. A majority of the race Kambalas organised in the coastal region are held on artificially built tracks and not on the traditional paddy fields. As many as 27 such race Kambalas are scheduled for the 2026-27 season (November-May) in the coastal region; about 20 Kambalas would be held on the artificial tracks, said Mr. Kanginamane.

Speaking to The Hindu, Muralidhara Rai, a member of the Kambala Organising Committee in Mysuru, said that around 100 buffaloes are expected to participate in the Kambala here, with around 15-20 support staff coming with each buffalo pair.

He argued that traditions like Kambala need to be encouraged on platforms like Dasara, which attracts lakhs of people. “Let Mysuru Dasara introduce Kambala to the global audience, as many foreign tourists come here to witness the celebrations,” he said.

Mr. Rai claimed that the footfall may go up due to the Kambala, thereby increasing tourism revenue. “The expenditure incurred in organising the Kambala would not be much when compared to the revenue the event generates,” he contended. Mr. Rai said the Kambala organised in Bengaluru ïn 2023 attracted nearly 10 lakh people.

Continued opposition

Meanwhile, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Mysuru MP, several local organisations, green activists, and farmers’ groups have continued to urge the government to withdraw the event.

Organisations opposing the Kambala have formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to continue debating and protesting the government’s move. Besides questioning bringing a ‘’region-specific’’ cultural tradition to Mysuru, the JAC has also criticised the government’s priorities at a time when several districts are facing drought-like conditions due to monsoon failure and that it is wasting lakhs of litres of water for a sport amidst water scarcity.

During his recent visit to Mysuru, the Puttur MLA said that the Kambala event is expected to cost between ₹5 crore and ₹8 crore, and that the State government is likely to set aside a special budget for it.

Parashurame Gowda of Parisarakkagi Naavu, Mysuru, a member of the JAC, said that they continue to oppose the Kambala during Dasara celebrations. He also alleged that nearly 36 trees had been illegally felled and a few more have been marked for felling to establish a venue for hosting the Kambala.

“We don’t want an event at the expense of the environment. The Forest Department has already registered an FIR for illegally felling trees. We will continue to oppose the Kambala until it is dropped. A campaign on the lines of the Appiko movement will be held if more trees are chopped,” Mr. Gowda warned, while underlining that it is particularly ironic in a drought year.