Mysuru Dasara hosts Kambala for 1st time at Sathagalli
For the first time ever, Mysuru Dasara featured Kambala, the traditional buffalo race that's usually a coastal Karnataka thing.
Urban Development Minister and Mysuru district in-charge Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah kicked off the two-day event at Sathagalli, where 150 pairs of buffaloes are racing.
The goal? To bring this unique sport to a wider audience beyond its home turf.
Kambala has 30L to 40L spectators
Organized by the Dasara Kambala subcommittee at VTU grounds, bringing each buffalo pair to Mysuru cost around ₹5 lakh, a sign of just how dedicated the teams are.
Even with drought worries, Kambala has an estimated 30 lakh to 40 lakh spectators across Karnataka.
Puttur MLA Ashok Rai credited Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar with extending support for the initiative, and said the sport is sustained by the farming community and is not driven by large prize money or commercial gains.
Plus, it's all happening plastic-free, helping put Kambala in the national spotlight.