Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (RJP)

Mangaluru, Feb 22: The immensely popular 'Sankupoonja-Devupoonja Jodukare Kambala' was held on Sunday, February 21 in the Kambala field at Thiruvail Guthu opposite Amrutheshwara temple in Vamanjoor here.

The Kambala, organised by Vamanjoor Thiruvail Guthu Sankupoonja and Devupoonja Jodukere Kambala committee, was inaugurated by chief priest of Amrutheshwara temple, Gopalakrishna Bhat.

Addressing the gathering, district in-charge minister Ramanath Rai said, "Kambala is our traditional sport and it will go on till the sun and the moon exist. Today modern technology is being used in Kambala. We need to support this sport and strive to retain its popularity as in the olden days. We need to support farmers in maintaining their buffaloes. There are efforts to put a full stop on this traditional sport by animal rights activists, but we should work together in order to ensure its continuity.

Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo said, "I congratulate the organizers on holding this Kambala year after year and thus helping in maintaining the popularity of this traditional sport. Due to modernization, we fear that traditional practices would lose importance among the young generation, but events like this ensure that our culture and tradition are kept alive.

"Though there was ban on Kambala earlier, the ban was stayed and as per the Supreme Court order, the district administration has given permission to host this event. We must do everything possible to retain our tradition and culture. Personally, I love Kambala, and when I was the executive director of Pilikula project, we organized Kambala for six years with government aid. I request the district in-charge minister to restore the sport at Pilikula under the name of Phaguni-Netravati Kambala," he added.

VHP district president Jagadish Shenava lauded the organizers for uniting people irrespective of political affiliations and religion and called for united efforts to retain the popularity of the sport.

Bajrang Dal convenor Sharan Pumpwell slammed the Animal Care Trust for claiming buffaloes are tortured in Kambala and keeping silent over trafficking and slaughtering of cows.

Thousands of spectators witnessed the action-packed Kambala which will conclude on the evening of Monday February 22. As many as 115 pairs of buffaloes are taking part.

Committee president Naveen Chandra Alva Thiruvail Guthu, Bunts association president Malady Ajith Kumar Rai, committee general secretary corporator Praveen Chandra Alva, treasurer Raj Kumar Shetty, B Mumtaz Ali, Jayarama Samani Thumbay, Shivanna Shetty, Sitarama Janu Shetty, Raviraj Shetty, Padmanabha Kotian, Umesh Rai, Gangayya Amin, Pratosh Malli, Omprakash Shetty, Sadananda Alva Jappinamogaru, Mohandas Shetty Udupi and others were present.