Record 228 pairs of buffaloes to participate in Bengaluru’s first Kambala

Bengaluru: A record 228 pairs of buffaloes have been registered for the first Bengaluru Kambala, starting from November 25 at the Palace Ground. Organizers said on Wednesday that six to eight lakh spectators are expected to attend the much-talked-about sporting event.

Organizers expect 228 pairs of buffaloes and their handlers to reach the city on Thursday with pomp and enthusiasm. Media coordinator Manjunath Kanyadi told DH that they would leave from Uppinangadi, Dakshina Kannada district, at 9.30 am on Thursday in lorries arranged by the organizers and would stop at Hassan and Nelamangala before reaching the Palace Ground by Thursday night.

“About 69 organizations from Dakshina Kannada have come together to do this with the sole goal of showcasing and celebrating our culture in Bengaluru, a global city,” he said.

The event, which is free for all, will also host cultural programs featuring sandalwood experts, besides a coastal food and culture festival at the Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar Vedike. He told that the main Akhara has been named Puneeth Rajkumar Vedike.

Kanyadi said around 10,000 workers have been pressed into service and have been divided into 40 committees to handle food, sanitation and other services.

Puttur Congress MLA and Bengaluru Kambala Committee president Ashok Kumar Roy said it would also boost tourism and interest in the cultural heritage of the coast.

“The participants are coming not for money but for pride. It is to showcase the rich culture of coastal Karnataka to the world,” he said.