Mangaluru: The Sankupunja – Devupunja Jodukere Kambala was inaugurated at Shri Tiruvailguthu Vamanjoor here, on February 21.
115 pair of Buffaloes took part in the Sankupunja – Devupunja Jodukere Kambala. The Sankupunja – Devupunja Jodukere Kambala is known as Devara Kambala (God’s kambala). Tiruvail means ‘Laxmi bail’ and Goddess Laxmi has blessed this area and the cultivation in Tiruvail is very good.
MLA of Mangaluru South Constituency J R Lobo speaking on the occasion said, “It is a great opportunity for us to retain our traditional sport. There was fear that village sports will vanish and will not continue for future generations to enjoy. But after seeing such sports we can be assured that the village sports are still alive and people of Mangaluru still retain their culture and tradition.
According to the court order we have been given permission to continue the Kambala. In Tulunadu we have various traditions and Kambala is one among the traditional sports. Our elders have continued our traditional sports and we have to retain it.”
He further said, “I am a ardent lover of Kambala, When I was in Pilikula we used to organize Kambala and for 6 years under government aid we have organized it. It had the government stamp but from three years for some reasons we were unable to hold the Kambala. Till I was in Pilikula I continued the Kambala and I urge the district minister in-charge to take measures to continue the Kambala at Pilikula by giving the Phaguni – Netravati name”.
Speaking on the occasion, District Minister In-charge B Ramanath Rai said, “We all talk about retaining the Kambala, we should not talk about “Retaining” because the Kambala will go on until the Moon and the Sun will exist. In olden days, farmers who were involved in agriculture, they used to hold Kambala and it was a religious event. But when time passed by, we started to use modern technology. When Kambala was being held in the olden days, people used to enjoy it but now the time has changed. We even use modern technology for recording the Kambala”.
Rai further said that we need well-wishers and supporters to retain the Kambala. Organizing Kambala is easy but the owners of Buffaloes are finding it difficult to take care of the Buffaloes. He congratulated the owners for taking care of their buffaloes and preparing them for the Kambala. When people from the Animal Care Trust are trying to stop the Kambala, we should all work unitedly to retain it.
District President of VHP Jagadish Shenava said that the organizers do not see any political party, instead they unite people from all walks of life by forgetting politics. Kambala belongs to the party of Buffaloes. Animal care Trust is doing everything to stop the Kambala, let they first understand the meaning of Kambala and let us continue our age old tradition. People from other countries too come here and enjoy watching the sport. Such sports and traditions cannot be seen anywhere in the world except in our district. Let the Kambala continue and more and more owners of buffaloes take part in the Kambala.
State convener of Bajrang Dal Sharan Pumpwell said that when we hold Kambala some people are trying to stop it by saying that Kambala means cruelty to animals. When cows are being slaughtered, Animal Care Trust does not raise their voice to ban the slaughter. When there is cow trafficking with more than 20 cows being loaded in small trucks they do not raise their voice. If the buffaloes are beaten while running it is not called cruelty. Let they first understand the meaning of Kambala. Bajrang Dal will support anyone organizing Kambala so that Kambala will be retained.
District youth Congress President Mithun Rai also spoke on the occasion. Chairman Vishwas Bawa Builders Abdul Rouf Puttige, Praveen Chandra Alva, Pratibha Kulai, Lathish, Bhasker Moily, Sashidhar Hegde, Shatharam Shetty and others were also present.
