mangalore today

Buffaloes race, but not for a prize


Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 01,2014: Though a ban has been announced on Kambala (slush-track buffalo racing) in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, the rural sport was held in Moodabettu village, near Udupi, on Sunday, with the organisers stating that the Kambala “did not involve any cruelty” as whips were not used.


kambala “This is a 700-year-old tradition, and for religious purposes we had to organise the (Devara) Kambala. But, we made it explicitly clear that whips were not used,” said Suresh Shetty, organiser of the Adi Udupi Moodabettu Kambala.

He added that the holding of the event was not meant to be a “challenge” to the district administration’s ban on the sport.

Based on a request from the Animal Welfare Board of India, which follows a May 7 Supreme Court order against cruelty of animals used for entertainment in a case related to Jallikattu of Tamil Nadu, the Udupi district administration banned Kambala on November 15.

Mr. Shetty said that three pairs of buffaloes participated in the Kambala. “We informed the local police and the Animal Husbandry Department beforehand, and they asked us to ensure that there was no cruelty to the animals,” he said.

However, Superintendent of Police P. Rajendra Prasad said, “We will have to go through the videos of the event to see if there was any cruelty involved.”

Though not having given permission for the event, Prabhulinga, Deputy Director, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Udupi, said that there were no objections to buffaloes being worshipped and not being raced for a prize.


Courtesy: The hindu