Kambala – The tradition of Tulunadu
The historically famous Kadri Kambala race is held annually at Kadri Kambalaguthu. Historians date the roots of this race back to more than a thousand years. At that time Kambala was the event when farmers paid tribute to their gods for protecting their crops. There used to be lot of celebration and games as part of this festive atmosphere. Some say Kambala also marked the beginning of sowing operations for the second round of crops. Traditionally, there were two types of kambalas, Pookere Kambala and Bale Kambala. Bale Kambala was discontinued some 900 years ago.
The Mangalore Kambala, popularly known as the Mangalore Hobali Kambala, is an annual feature at the Kadri Kambala fields here. Run in a paddy field by pairs of buffaloes, egged on by a strong-musled ryot in an atmosphere so taut that it can be slashed by a knife, the kambala event is closest to horse race. According to people associated with the sport, it flourished under the royal patronage of kings and famous households in Mangalore. In the olden days, the buffaloes were brought in procession to the accompaniment of `dolanalike’ (drum dance).
According to Times of India, there are more than 45 Kambalas held annually, starting from November to March in the distrct. Nearly 18 are held under a Kambala Samithi and the rest are held under the suspices of temples and with political patronage. The increased interest in Kambala has given rise to a similar sport known as `kare’. The difference is that the traditional Kambalas are not held on Amavasya and Sankramana days. A recent addition has been tug-of-war for men and women in the slushy paddy fields.
