The first Bengaluru Kambala will be held at Palace Grounds on November 25 and 26, announced the Kambala samiti on Wednesday.
The samiti has involved close to a hundred Kambala organisations and will be hosting 228 pairs of buffaloes from several regions of Karnataka, especially Coastal Karnataka region. As many as 200 pairs of buffaloes are said to participate in the race.
The samiti will set up a food court with close to 200 stalls showcasing food from the coastal Karnataka region, alongside cultural programmes celebrating Karavali culture. According to the organisers, the goal is to bring the culture of Kambala to Bengaluru.
K. Prakash Shetty, Bengaluru Kambala Samiti president, said Kambala is a folk sport and a cultural celebration and expressed excitement to be fulfilling this dream of organising such an event. Around six lakh people are expected to attend the event, he said.
Ashok Kumar Rai, president of the State Kambala Samiti, said: “Kambala has a 700-year-old history. People of all backgrounds and castes participate in it. Kambala is not a commercial race; it happens for honour and prestige. That is why the event is open to all and completely free.” “Precautions and measures have been taken in accordance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Vets are available on call and the buffaloes are taken care of,” he added.
Music director Gurukiran, who wrote the theme song for Bengaluru Kambala, said: “Kantar displayed our culture to a larger audience, and we have the same aim with this event.”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Ministers, MPs, and MLAs as well as actors Anushka Shetty, Sudeep, Shiva Rajkumar, Upendra, Priyanka Upendra, and Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar are expected to attend.
The event briefly faced controversy as the name of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the BJP MP from Kaiserganj accused of sexual assault by women wrestlers, figured on the event’s invite. However, the organisers termed it an “oversight” and clarified that he had not been invited.
