Kambala in Mysuru Dasara: A Debate on Culture and Price

The Karnataka government’s proposal to include Kambala, a traditional mud-track buffalo race originating from the coastal regions, for the first time in this year’s Mysuru Dasara has sparked controversy.

Opponents have pointed to what they call Kambala’s “incompatibility with Dasara’s heritage and cultural identity” and questioned the need to include the cost- and water-intensive sport as Karnataka stares at a severe drought. The argument in favor of this was that Dasara is celebrated as a national holiday (Nada Habba) in Mysore and that the bison race, which is one of the oldest folk traditions in the state, should be introduced.

Preparations begin

Preparations for Kambala actually began with the organizing committee headed by Ashok Kumar Rai, Puttur MLA, drawing up a plan to lay the slush, gallery and other facilities. A plot of about 17 acres in Sathagalli, Mysuru has been identified as the venue for Kambala and is being prepared.

Meanwhile, stakeholders — buffalo owners, jockeys, judges, helpers and organizers — at a meeting held at Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada on July 19 agreed to participate in the Mysuru Kambala, which is likely to be held on October 18 and 19, said Belapu Deviprasad Shetty, president of the Karnataka State Kambala Association.

“The Mysuru event will be an opportunity to showcase Kambala culture to others who are not familiar with it,” said N. Vijayakumar Kanginamane, general secretary of the association.

Two types of Kambala

Experts point out that while ‘Dévara Kambalas’ are strictly ritualistic events bound by land and tradition, other Kambala events held across coastal Karnataka have acquired the character of a competitive sport involving prizes. Most of the Kambalas races held in the coastal region are held on artificially constructed tracks and not on traditional rice paddies. As many as 27 such Kambalas races are scheduled for the 2026-27 season (November-May) in the maritime region; about 20 flounder will be held on artificial tracks, Mr Kanginamane said.

Talking to The Hindu, Muralidhara Rai, a member of the Kambala organizing committee in Mysuru, said that about 100 buffaloes are expected to participate in the Kambala here, with about 15-20 support workers coming with each buffalo pair.

He argued that traditions like Kambala need to be promoted on platforms like Dasara which attracts thousands of people. “Let Mysuru Dasara introduce Kambala to the global audience as many foreign tourists come here to witness the celebrations,” he said.

Mr. Rai claimed that the number of footfalls may increase because of Kambala, thereby increasing tourism revenue. “The expenditure incurred on organizing Kambala would not be much compared to the revenue generated by the event,” he claimed. Mr. Rai said the Kambala organized in Bengaluru in 2023 attracted nearly 10 million people.

Continued opposition

Meanwhile, Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, several local organizations, green activists and farmers’ groups continued to urge the government to withdraw the event.

Organizations opposed to Kambala formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to continue their debates and protests against the government’s move. Besides questioning the introduction of a “region-specific” cultural tradition to Mysuru, the JAC also criticized the government’s priorities at a time when several districts are facing drought due to monsoon failure and that it is wasting millions of liters of water on sports amid water scarcity.

During his recent visit to Mysuru, the Puttur MLA said that the Kambala event is expected to cost between ₹ 5 to ₹ 8 crore and that the state government is likely to allocate a special budget for it.

Parashurame Gowda of Parisarakkagi Naavu, Mysuru, a JAC member, said they continue to oppose Kambala during the Dasara celebrations. He also alleged that nearly 36 trees were illegally felled and several others were marked for felling to make way for Kambala to be held.

“We don’t want action at the expense of the environment. The forest department has already registered an FIR for illegal felling of trees. We will continue to oppose Kambale until it is brought down. The campaign on the lines of the Appiko movement will be held if more trees are felled,” warned Mr. Gowda, stressing that this is especially ironic in the dry season.

Published – 26 Jul 2026 0:16 IST