Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Mar 3: In the midst of records created by a few Kambala jockeys in completing 100-metre races faster, the 'Vijaya-Vikrama' organized at Uppinangady created a new record for the time it took to complete, which stood at 34 hours.

The 35th annual 'Vijaya-Vikrama' Kambala began at 10 am on Saturday and ended at 9 pm on Sunday with the participation of 142 pairs of buffaloes in which renowned jockey Srinivas Gowda, won four gold medals. It is said that the delay was mainly caused in the time taken by pairs of buffaloes in entering the slushy field, and delay on the part of the referees and judges. Kambalas like Puttur Kambala and Mangaluru Kambala had taken 26 and 28 hours respectively, and Uppinangady Kambala has emerged as the longest Kambala ever.

Kambala Samithi is expected to streamline rules and procedures in Kambalas. The government had instructed that the buffaloes should not be regulated with the help of strings inserted into their noses, the Kambala races should be held under a single set of rules, animals should not be hit, jockeys should not hold sticks when in operation, the jockeys should not hold whips, they should not be made to run over 100 metre stretch at a time, their tails should not be twisted, Kambala should be concluded within 24 hours etc.

Kambala buffalo owners, organizers, referees etc seem to have forgotten about the rules.

District Kambala committee's Rajiv Shetty Edthur said that Kambala Samithi wants all the Kambalas to come to an end within 24 hours and sought the cooperation of fans, organizers, and owners of buffaloes to stick to rules drafted in the interests of this folk sport and those who participate in them.