Kambala is a tradition that unites communities beyond barriers: Scholar Gunapal

Udupi: The buffalo race festival of Tulu Nadu, popularly known as Kambala, is not merely a competitive rural sport but a tradition that brings together people across caste and community lines, said scholar Gunapala Kadamba at a felicitation event in Udupi.

He was speaking at a ceremony honouring buffalo caretaker Kal Panar with the Chavadi Thamma award, organised by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy in association with Manipal Academy of Higher Education’s Centre for Intercultural Studies and Dialogue, Centre for Kannada and Regional Languages, and Lions Club Mundkur-Kadandale at Lions School, Sachcheripete.

Kadamba emphasised that Kambala is as much about collective identity as competition.

“Buffaloes are never ill-treated. They are reared like family members,” he said, recalling the late prize-winning buffalo Chenna and Panar’s dedication in nurturing it.

In his response, Panar said both spirit worship and Kambala are inseparable parts of Tulu culture. “Any success I have achieved is because of the blessings of society at large,” he remarked.

Tulu Sahitya Academy president Taranath Gatti Kapikad explained that the Academy seeks to reach out to villages to honour unsung cultural contributors. Other speakers highlighted Panar’s community service and recalled his leadership roles in local governance.

The event also featured a panel discussion on contemporary Kambala, with buffalo owners and researchers participating. The ceremony concluded with traditional honours for senior participants.