Jeppina Mogaru Kambala, Mangaluru, Feb 2024

After long time witnessed a Kambala event. My previous visit was in 2015 at Moodubidire. After that in 2021,2022 had attended view local events around Udupi. Recently in 2024 visited Jappina Mogaru dual Kambala on the outskirts of Mangaluru city on 10th Feb 2024.

Jappina Mogaru kambala ground is just about 5 kms from Mangaluru town, so very convenient to visit. Organizers had made arrangement for fair number of car parking. We parked and entered the Kambala track by about 5 in the evening when the trial rounds had just begun.

The kambala setup has following components

• The stage- only invited dignitaries can enter. If you know some VVIPs or someone in organizing committee you can try getting here for best view and comfortable seating.
  
• The start point: Racing teams line up their buffaloes, its jockey and prepare to launch
• The end point- the best spot for photographs but the area is mainly for support staff of racing buffaloes to receive the buffaloes as the exit the track and take them aside. Many photographers try to squeeze into this area hoping for better pictures.
• The race tracks: No entry for public
• Sitting area on both sides for visitors. Jappina Mogaru had one portion earmarked for women and also had an elevated multi stop platform for better view.
• Shops and other attractions outside. Because Kambala attracts huge crowd several vendors set shop around Kambala ground selling fruits, chats and various other stuff. 

Below are some photos I took this year

At times Buffaloes race on their own without a jockey to control them. We can call them self driving buffaloes maybe.

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Kambala timings: Kambala starts in the evening at around 4 or 5 PM. Initial races are largely practice rounds and qualifiers with just one team (2 buffaloes racing from start to finish). Not much fun to watch.

After sometime as it gets dark races begin, with 2 teams racing side by side in each track. Timing is tracking using laser guided beams and winner is declared for each race. This goes on for several hours.

The final rounds start close to midnight, where jockeys spew water to the top while they race and try to hit 6.5/7.5 foot high bars set on top. At around midnight the race ends, final set of winners are declared and awards given.

If you're planning a visit either be ready to spend time till midnight, or visit twice- once in day time to understand the setup, get some basic photos and then again come back post dinner to stay till midnight to watch the final races.

Kambala Video 1

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Video 2 (2014 one from Moodubidire)