Dakshina Kannada (Karnataka): Popular traditional Janapada sport Kambala of Tulunadu will be creating history this year by allowing girls to participate in the sport. It is learnt that five girls from the Dakshina Kannada district will be trained to participate in the Kambala race.
Gunapala Kadamba, president of Kambala Academy, disclosed that in the free training camp that is being conducted by the Kambala Academy at Moodbidri. Already, five families, who own the buffaloes that are taking part in the Kambala, have said that they will encourage the girls in their families to run the buffaloes in the sport. They will be trained by the Academy and will be given a chance to compete in the Kambala of this year itself.
Gunapala Kadamba said that women are also as experts as men in looking after the buffaloes that are used in the sport of Kambala. As Kambala is a traditional sport, women will be provided with an opportunity as per the tradition. “When I decided to introduce girls in Kambala, I received threats. When women are interested to take part, why we should not allow them? Parents of girls have also given their permission. They will be given training for five days. Later, they will be given the opportunity to take part in the competition with the buffaloes that are reared by their family itself,” said Gunapala.
Last year, a young girl Chaithra Parameshwar Bhat of Kundapur had got down to the Kambala field and created history. She took part in the Miyar Kambala.
This year five girls will be the cynosure of all eyes.
In the midst of this, 33 young men, in the age group of 18 to 20 have been selected for the 15 days training programme by the Academy. They were selected from the group of 219 aspirants. Training is already started for all of them from September 19 itself. The training will end on October 10.
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