Bengaluru: A proposal to introduce the traditional coastal buffalo race – Kambala – to Mysuru Dasara celebrations has triggered a political and cultural controversy, drawing stiff opposition from the BJP-JD(S) alliance.The proposal was initiated by veteran Kambala organiser and Congress cooperative functionary Deviprasad Shetty and Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai, who urged chief minister DK Shivakumar to include Kambala in Dasara. Shivakumar is learnt to have agreed in principle, following which the organisers sought around 35 acres to develop a slush track, buffalo holding areas, spectator galleries, parking and related infrastructure.Opposition to the move is being led by Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and BJP and JD(S) functionaries from the region, who argue that Dasara, rooted in the Wadiyar dynasty’s traditions and the worship of Goddess Chamundeshwari, should retain its distinct cultural identity.Union minister HD Kumaraswamy strongly opposed the proposal. In a post on X, he said, “There is no need to include Kambala in the Mysuru Dasara festival, which has its own unique traditions. There should be no attempt to disturb the Dasara celebrations that have been conducted in the present form for decades.”Calling Kambala a symbol of the coastal region’s heritage, Kumaraswamy said, “It is a tradition that is geographically and culturally rooted in the coastal belt. Bringing it to Mysuru would dilute the divine background and sanctity associated with the tradition.” He added: “Witnessing Kambala in its natural environment is a unique experience. There is no need to hurt the sentiments of the people of Mysuru or those of the coastal region.”State BJP president BY Vijayendra said, “Mysuru Dasara has its own speciality and tradition. Any govt that comes to power should preserve its uniqueness.” He appealed to Shivakumar to drop the proposal, adding, “Kambala is an integral part of Dakshina Kannada’s culture. Let it be organised in a grand manner in the district.”Congress functionaries rejected the criticism, arguing that Dasara already showcases diverse traditions such as Yakshagana, Dollu Kunitha, Veeragase and other tribal dances, and Kambala would further reflect Karnataka’s cultural diversity.Defending the proposal, Ashok Rai said, “There is nobody who can stop Kambala from being organised in Mysuru. I have organised it in Bengaluru where there were a record number of footfalls. It is nothing but a cultural and folk trait of one region to be showcased at a different place. It is an effort towards promoting culture as a whole and it should not be viewed with a tinted glass of narratives.”
