Mulky: Members of animal welfare board of India have registered 17 cases against the organizers of Mulky Arasu Kambala.

The two thick ropes have been inserted in the nose in the same hole. The organizers have not sought permission for this and they didn’t even seek permission to transport the animal, they complained. No FIR has been filed in the police station, the police sources clarified.  

Meanwhile locals and organisers of Kambala argued that the activists of animal welfare board are purposefully filing complaints against the kambala organizers to stop the kambala. The kambala has been organised as per the guidance of the high court. But animal welfare board is not satisfied with the arrangements and it is keen to somehow stop the traditional sports of coastal region, locals lamented.

The decision of the Karnataka High Court to permit Kambala (buffalo slush race) with some conditions, was greeted with distribution of sweets and celebrations in the two coastal districts.

The District Kambala Samiti, Mangaluru, which has been fighting for the continuation of folk sport after the districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi banned it claiming it amounted to cruelty to animals, will meet in Moodbidri on Tuesday to discuss the ways to bring the conditions imposed into practice.

The ban followed the letters written to the two Deputy Commissioners by the Animal Welfare Board noting a Supreme Court order banning Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu was applicable to Kambalas too.

Conditions in practiceGunapal Kadamba, secretary of the samiti, said Kambala organisers were bound to put into practice the conditions laid down by the High Court and ensure that the sport was free of cruelty to buffaloes. “If we do not ensure that, then we have to lose out on this rural sport that has a good following in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada,” he said. Onus lies more on the owners of buffaloes and on Kambala riders, he said.

Sitaram Shetty, who owns a few Kambala-running buffaloes, said the conditions — taking good care of buffaloes and not hitting them — had already been put into practice. The samiti organised a Kambala on November 2 as a model “cruelty-free” race.

“We have been following many of the suggestions. These conditions will be rigorously enforced,” Mr. Shetty said.

The High Court has asked tahsildars to oversee Kambala and ensure the enforcement of conditions, he said. Ashok Rai, who organises the folk sport in Uppinangady, said some of the Kambalas — other than the traditional ones done to please a local deity — that could not be held following the ban by the State Animal Husbandary Department on November 13, were likely to be held in the coming weeks.

Mr. Rai said the samiti would discuss in Moodbidiri, among other things, on whether the organisers of Veera Vikrama Kambala in Hokkadigodi near Bantwal would go ahead with the event on December 20 or not.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Thippeswamy and Animal Care Trust’s trustee Suma Nayak, who had favoured the ban, said they were yet to receive the High Court orders. Mr. Thippeswamy said the High Court directions would be discussed with other district authorities and instructions issued accordingly.

Buffalo processionIn Udupi, a victory procession was organised on Monday by the Udupi Zilla Nagarika Samiti to celebrate the High Court order.

Members of the Zilla Nagarika Samiti took out a pair of buffaloes in a short procession accompanied with the beating of drums at Beedinagudde.

They danced on the streets at the Beedinagudde Circle and hailed the High Court order. They also burst crackers on the occasion.

Nityananda Volakadu, general secretary of the samiti, said Kambala, which was in practice for centuries and generations, represented the culture of Tulunadu.

“We are all delighted that the High Court has issued a stay on the ban on Kambala. The two buffaloes which we have taken in procession today are those which participate in the Chitpady Kambala,” he said.

Mangaluru: Kambala lovers gathered in front of the district commissioner’s office here to express their dissent towards the banning of traditional sports Kambala by Supreme court. Thousands of people participated in the protest.

The kambala lovers of South Kanara and Udupi district condemned the decision of Apex court to ban Kambala saying animals are ill treated during the game. But the state government has showed interest in continuing the kambala.

On Saturday November 29, a procession was taken from Balmatta to DC office along with buffalos. The protesters shouted slogans of ` we want Kambala’ and urged the authorities to clear the cloud on Kambala as soon as possible.

 

Bengaluru: As Apex court has not stated in its judgment to ban Kambala (bull race) the state government has given its consent to organize kambala in South Kanara and Udupi district.

Udupi incharge minister Vinaya Kumar Sorake, Abhayachandra Jain and others demanded to lift the ban on kambala on Thursday November 27.

The animals are not maltreated in kambala. We have explained the matter to the government. Supreme Court judgment has banned only Jallikattu. That is different from Kambala said Sorake.

Kambala is banned in Udupi as the district commissioner of Udupi had received an order from animal welfare organisation to ban the sports. But South Kanara administration has not received such orders, he added.

Udupi: Banning of Kambala, (the traditional bull race) by Supreme Court is not right. Kambala is an integral part of Tulu culture and tradition. Hence discussion is on to stage protest against the court order in front of the DC office said Belapu Deviprasad Shetty, President of Aikala Kambala committee.

Speaking to the media persons on Wednesday November 26 Shetty said that the decision of the Apex court to ban kambala is not right. Tulu people must protest against this. Many kambalas have been organised in South Kanara and Udupi. The order of the Apex court will affect the organizers badly said Deviprasad Shetty.