Muttu and Manju buffalo pair wins gold at Panapila Kambala

At the 17th Jaya-Vijaya Jodukare Kambala in Panapila, Moodabidri taluk, the Boladaguthu family’s buffalo pair Muttu and Manju won the gold medal in the senior Negilu category. The pair completed the race in 8.78 seconds. Mangalpady Rakshith Shetty was their runner.

After the win, family member Jagadish Shetty knelt and bowed before the buffaloes. The Boladaguthu family resumed entering buffaloes in Kambala in 2008. Its buffaloes began a winning run in 2012 and the family won the overall series award for six consecutive years, as stated in the event profile.

Notable Points

• Local ritual practices: At Vandaru in Udupi and Choradi in Shivamogga, Kambala buffalo races also serve as rituals of thanks to deities for protection from disease.
• Kambala race categories: Kambala categories use different equipment. Nayer uses a plough-like device tied to the buffalo pair, while Bal uses a rope held by a runner running alongside. In senior Adda palayi, the runner stands on a crosswise plank; in Kane palayi, water spouting through a wooden block is measured to decide the winner.
• Historical legal status: The Supreme Court ordered a ban on Kambala in 2014. Karnataka re-legalised the festival through a 2017 ordinance, and a 2018 amendment bill resolved the continuing litigation.