The Mangalore Kambala celebration is absolutely exhilarating and a lot of fun to witness. At the festival, people cheer for the buffalos with enthusiasm, and the winner also receives a prize. The most well-known villages that participate in the Kambala celebration are Bajagoli, Puttur, Kolatta, Majalu, Uppinagadi, and Bolantur.
Itinerary
Day 1: At 12 o'clock in the afternoon, pick up from the airport or hotel in Mangalore. After lunch, visit Pilikula Nisargadhama, Science Park, Artisans Village, Guthumane, and Lake Garden. Plan some candid photo shoots, an evening meal at Shetty Lunch Home restaurant, and an overnight stay after returning to Kambala site around 6pm.
Day 2: After eating breakfast at 7:30 a.m., go to the Kambala venue. The Kambala will begin at 9:00 a.m. Thereafter, travel to Udupi and have an authentic Mangalorean lunch at the Hotel Thimmappa near Malpe Beach.
Day 3: Check out of the hotel after breakfast and depart from the hotel for Mangalore.
Setting up and Race:
Two parallel race tracks that are filled with slushy water serve as the stage on which kambala is performed.
The buffaloes: Farmers and buffalo owners in the area take excellent care of their animals, feeding, oiling, and preparing the best of them for a race in Kambala. At a Kambala buffalo race, buffaloes are typically raced in pairs and tethered to one another with ropes and ploughs. The fastest Kambala Buffaloes can sprint the 140 metres in under 12 seconds. In order to prevent injury, torture, or other cruel treatment of Kambala buffaloes, the Honorable Supreme Court of India has issued a number of directives.
The person controlling the buffaloes and running alongside them is known as the jockey or Kambala runner. Massive creatures are only manageable by the most athletic youth. The runner is supported by the arrangement holding two buffaloes together while standing on a wooden board (known as a halage) (called Negilu). A whip or ropes are used by the Kambala runner to manage the buffaloes. Throughout the race, the runner also amuses onlookers by spitting water as high as she can. Much as auto races feature race vehicles and their crew, the Kambala venue will be home to hundreds of buffaloes and their carer staff.
The competition: On two parallel racetracks, two teams of buffaloes and their jockeys compete to cross the finish line first. The race continues all day, and the winners advance to the next rounds. Prizes are awarded for launching water high into the air till a target set above in addition to crossing the finish line first (known as kolu).
Season: Kambala celebrations start after the paddy harvest, which is typically in October. Between November and March, kambala celebrations take place throughout Tulu nadu (Tulu-speaking areas in South Canara districts).
Important Kambala Events: Every year, the Kambala race is celebrated in over 45 different coastal Karnataka villages. Other well-liked places are:
Uppinangadi Venur, Kadri & Pilikula, Mangaluru Moodubidire & Puttur Kakkepadavu Kuluru & Surathkal
MONTH OF JANUARY TO MARCH
How to contact
- Via Air: Mangalore Airport is the closest airport.
- Via Train: The closest railway station is Mangaluru Junction, which serves as the city's hub and is serviced by a number of rapid trains from places such Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, and Chennai, among others.
- Via Road: You can take interstate or intrastate tourist buses to go to Mangalore.
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