Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 9: Kambala season is beginning shortly and preparations for holding Kambala in different places is on in full swing. It is hoped that this buffalo race sport will not face any legal wrangles this time. This hope has kept the spirits of the organizers and fans of Kambala high.

The time table was fixed at the district Kambala Committee meeting held a Moodbidri on October 6. The first ever Kambala of this season in the twin districts will be held on November 23. A total of 20 Kambalas have been lined up. Sources said that the time table has not been officially announced because of the likelihood that there might be changes in dates in a couple of Kambalas.

Kambala has faced lot of legal frictions since 2014 and had come to a stop in 2016 - 17. People of coastal Karnataka had expressed solidarity with the continuance of Kambala after which Kambala was allowed to be organized with the help of ordinance and amendment to bill brought about since 2017 - 18.

Even after the President gave assent to the revised Prevention of Violence against Animals (Karnataka Amendment) bill and it became a law, the legal fight against Kambala is carried out and therefore the sport is still facing threat. The petition filed by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals in the Supreme Court is pending in the constitution bench. The organization has argued that the new law brought by Karnataka to allow Kambala is illegal. Taking into consideration the allegation of violence raised by the organization, during last year, sticks were not used during the Kambalas organized at Moodbidri, Kakyapadavu andPaivalike.

District Kambala Committee president P R Shettym, said that the time table is being given finishing touches and that Kambala will be held during this season without any hitch.