Fascination of human beings to have recreation at the cost of dumb animals is historical and legendary. Take for instance any country in this world, they will have some sports connected with the dumb animals. Most of these sports are traditional and has history of thousands of years. Perhaps such sports were thought of by aboriginals. It is the animal instinct in him which took upper hand and made him to may I say ‘invent’ such cruel sports.
Today I would like to refer to a very popular sports performed in a small part of India on it’s western coastal area where man shows his prowess in running along with an animal in slushy muddy water. In fact it is not an easy sports. The animal involved in this sports is more popularly known as Asian water buffalo. They are so called because usually they are found in India, Nepal and Bhutan. I learn they are also found in Thailand. Buffalo has been made a domesticated animal more than five thousand years ago. They are productive and efficient. It’s skin is very thick and whenever a child is backward in studies, people compare it to buffalo because it has a thick skin and it appears to be lazy animal which would like to crawl in swampy muddy areas. But it has to be said to its credit that it has proved it’s utility to human beings by it’s meat, horns, hides, milk, butterfat, and for ploughing and transporting people and crops. It’s milk has lot of fat as it does not conserve much fat in it’s body. If a child is dull, in this part of India they say perhaps he drinks too much of buffalo milk.
One of the adapting features of water buffalo for spending in muddy and swampy areas is the spreading hoofed feet. The feet helps buffalo to prevent it from sinking deep in the mud and also, to move freely in wetlands and swamps. It is this special feature of the said animal which has been taken advantage by man to use it for water sports. The said sports is called “ Kambla “ or Buffalo race.
It is in fact an old folk sport. It has been in practice in the rural area since long. Since these animals are used in agricultural operation, it is part of agricultural economy of this area. The buffalos used for race and for ploughing are different. Owning buffalos used for races is like owning race horses. Usually he is the feudal landlord of the area. Like Race Horse owners, race buffalo owners also have special place in the rural area. He is always looked upon as an important person in the village. Because such buffaloes have to be pampered, fed and taken care of like race horses. They require oil bath, good feed, a person is appointed exclusively to take care of such race buffaloes throughout the day and night, they are not allowed to graze with other animals. They are not used for any other purposes. They are given training in running in some improvised slushy tracks. It is expensive to rear such race buffaloes.
Kambla or buffalo race is held in paddy fields filled with slush and mud immediately after the harvesting . Either the paddy fields themselves or tarcks are formed adjoining a paddy field for the race. The actual Kambla site has dual channels of water, rectangular in shape and clear of any impediment. To keep them slushy, in the absence of rains, constant supply of water is provided. Around the center of the length of the channel they have two cloth banners at slight different heights The length of the rectangular track is 135 meters
The buffaloes are brought in a procession to the accompaniment of music and dance. There are drummers and trumpets. The buffaloes are decked with several medallions and flowers. They will have several head pieces of silver and brass in addition to the ropes fitted with tinsel. The occasion is festive and atmosphere is like carnival. Usually there will be about 40 to 60 pairs of buffaloes for such races. The contest takes place between two pairs of buffaloes tied by a yoke and common shaft, controlled by a rider or jockey who is usually a young barefooted farmer who has the training to walk and run in such slush during ploughing of the fields. He wears a colorful turban or head gear. He has athletic features . He runs along with the buffalo or surfs his way towards the goal on a one meter long wooden plank sufficient enough to provide a firm foot hold which is tied to a wooden pole in between the buffaloes.. He balances himself on that wooden plank and eggs on the buffalo to run faster by hitting it hard with a whip. This is cruel. The plank has a hole while racing towards the goal, the water jets upwards from the hole. The winner is judged from the height upto which the jet reaches or by the swiftness he reaches the goal. The people standing on the field bund cheer the rider and the buffalo. There is music and frenzy of the crowd. The shouting of the rider urging his buffaloes to reach the finishing point motivates the crowd to shout encouraging words.. The speeding buffaloes churn the slush and the rider uses his skills to produce tall jets so that they can touch the cloth banner. The winner is given not only cash award but is awarded with gold medal also. He is taken round the village with all pomp and pageantry.
The negative aspect of the sports is the dangers going with the sports. Sometimes the buffaloes would run beyond the track at the people who stand to watch the race or the runner with the buffalo is dragged by the buffalos or left to slip in the slush. Even the buffaloes slip and is dragged by the other buffalo since it is tied by the same yoke with a common shaft. Sometimes they refuse to run or make a turn around or run at different directions.
Inhuman part of the sports is the way the rider beats up the buffalo very hard with the whip goading it to run fast. This is explained by the votaries of the sports by taking shelter under the excuse that the buffaloes have very thick skin. But they do not hit on its back but to its calf muscle. This must be giving lot of pain to the beast. However this has not reduced the interest of the public in watching the sports. This sports is held usually between November and January every year.
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