From Tulunadu to Mysuru Kambala makes a historic Dasara debut

Mysuru The roar of the crowd, the thunder of pounding hooves and the sight of powerful buffaloes charging through a muddy track brought a distinctive coastal flavour to the world-famous Mysuru Dasara on Sunday, as the traditional sport of Kambala was organised in the cultural capital of Karnataka for the first time in its history. Urban Development and Mysuru District Minister-in-charge Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah inaugurated the two-day Dasara Kambala by waving the green flag at the spacious venue near Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) College at Sathagalli. Around 150 pairs of buffaloes are participating in the competition, organised by the Dasara Kambala Sub-Committee. The historic debut brings one of coastal Karnataka's most cherished rural sporting traditions to the grand Dasara celebrations, offering Mysuru residents and visitors an opportunity to experience the distinctive sporting culture of Tulunadu. Inaugurating the event, Dr Yathindra said Kambala was a popular traditional rural sport of the coastal region and should not remain confined to its geographical origins. The decision to organise it as part of Mysuru Dasara was intended to popularise the sport and introduce it to a wider audience through the international recognition enjoyed by the annual festival. Extensive arrangements had been made for the event, including the transportation and care of the buffaloes. Bringing each pair to Mysuru costs approximately Rs. 5 lakh, while arrangements for nutritious feed, veterinary care and other requirements had been made. The organisers had also decided to make the event plastic-free, with security and other logistical arrangements in place. Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai thanked everyone involved in bringing Kambala to Mysuru Dasara. He said the sport had gained popularity across Karnataka, with an estimated 30–40 lakh people watching Kambala events statewide. He also thanked Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for supporting the initiative. Acknowledging the debate surrounding the event, Rai said Kambala was primarily a rural sporting tradition rather than a competition driven by prize money. Buffaloes were raised with the care given to family members, and transporting and maintaining them involved considerable expenditure. He said the event had been organised successfully with the district administration's cooperation and urged people to attend with their families. Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda welcomed the arrival of the coastal tradition in Mysuru for the first time and congratulated the participants who had travelled from Tulunadu. He appealed to the public to support the event and help make it a success. Kambala, traditionally associated with the farming communities of coastal Karnataka, involves pairs of buffaloes racing through parallel muddy tracks under the guidance of their handlers. Rooted in the region's agrarian culture, the sport has evolved into a major public attraction while retaining its traditional identity. The two-day competition is expected to bring together sporting excitement, rural heritage and cultural exchange, adding a new dimension to Mysuru Dasara. The organisers hope that presenting Kambala on this prominent platform will help the traditional sport reach audiences across India and abroad. Mysuru Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer S. Yukesh Kumar, Superintendent of Police Mallikarjuna Baladandi, Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner M.K. Savitha, MLC Shivakumar, Zoo Authority chairman K. Rangaswamy, Karnataka Kambala Association president Devi Prasad Shetty and other dignitaries were present.