Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Oct 3: Popular traditional Janapada sport Kambala of Tulunadu will be creating history this year by allowing girls to participate in the sport for the first time.

It is learnt that five girls have come forward to take part in the sport and the Kambala academy will decide on the type of buffaloes and also the rules for them.

Gunapala Kadamba, president of Kambala academy gave this information in the free training camp that is held by the Kambala academy at Moodbidri.

Chaithra Parameshwar Bhat (file photo)

Already five families, who own the buffaloes that are run in the Kambala, have said that they will encourage the girls in their families to run the buffaloes in the sport. They will be trained by the academy and will be given a chance to compete in the Kambala of this year itself.

Gunapala Kadamba said that women are also as expert as men in looking after the buffaloes that are used in the sport of Kambala. As Kambala is a traditional sport, women will be provided opportunity as per the tradition.

“When I decided to introduce girls in Kambala, I received threats. When women are interested to take part, why we should not allow them? Parents of girls have also given their permission. They will be given training for five days. Later they will be given opportunity to take part in the competition with the buffaloes that are reared by their family itself,” said Gunapala.

Last year, a young girl named Chaithra Parameshwar Bhat of Kundapur had got down to the Kambala field and made history. She took part in the Miyar Kambala. This year five girls will be the star attraction.

In the midst of this, 33 young men, between the ages of 18 to 20 are selected for the 15 days training programme by the academy. They were selected from the group of 219 aspirants. Training is already started for all of them from September 19 itself. The training will end on October 10. This information was shared by Gunapal.