Stakeholders of kambala at a meeting in Moodbidri, Dakshina Kannada, on Sunday.

| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Stakeholders of kambala (slush-track buffalo race) who met at Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada on Sunday decided to participate in the kambala to be organised by the Dasara Utsava Samithi in Mysuru for two days from October 18, 2026.According to Belapu Deviprasad Shetty, president of the Karnataka State Kambala Association, approximately 125 pairs of buffaloes are expected to participate in the event.“All stakeholders, including buffalo owners, jockeys, referees, and helpers, agreed to participate in the Mysuru kambala being held for the first time. No one opposed the kambala,” Mr. Shetty told The Hindu.Opposition in MysuruIt may be mentioned that a Joint Action Committee in Mysuru has opposed organising kambala as part of Dasara. The committee comprises the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha, Dalit Sangharsha Samithi, Parisarakkagi Naavu, Team Mysuru, Kannada organisations and other progressive groups. The committee staged a protest in Mysuru on Saturday.The committee said kambala should not be held during the Mysuru Dasara as it is incompatible with the heritage, cultural identity, and religious significance of the world-renowned festival.Coastal belt kambalasMr. Shetty said the meeting decided to organise the annual kambalas for the 2026-27 season in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts from November 14, 2026. In all, 27 kambalas will be held in the coastal belt.N. Vijayakumar Kanginamane, general secretary of the association, said the first kambala of the 2026-27 season in the coastal belt will be held at Panapila near Moodbidri and the last will be held at Kadandale on May 1, 2027.“In all, 23 kambalas were being held annually in the coastal belt under the auspices of the association. Four new kambalas have been added to the list this season. The new kambalas will be held at Harekala, Kadandale, 80 Badagubettu in Udupi and Sanur,” Mr. Kanginamane said.Meanwhile, Chandrahasa Sadhu Sanil took charge as president of the Jilla Kambala Samithi of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts on the occasion. Vidyadhar Jain took charge as its general secretary and P. Sandeep Shetty as its treasurer. Published - July 19, 2026 06:31 pm IST