UDUPI: Kambala, a traditional buffalo race from Coastal Karnataka is in the spotlight for the impressive speed records set by jockeys in the recent years. Vishwanath Devadiga, a 23-year-old Kambala racer from Byndoor of Udupi district, created a new record in the 100 m race in Aikala last Saturday, covering the distance in just 9.15 seconds. Srinivas Gowda had taken social media by storm last year with his record of covering 100m in 9.55 seconds and his speed had prompted people to compare him with Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, whose 100m world record is 9.58 seconds.
Despite his achievement, Vishwanath says he is grateful to those who made it possible for him. Vishwanath remembers Karunachari of Maala village in Karkala taluk, a Kambala enthusiast whom he met at a event a few years ago. Karunachari’s house in Maala is where he stays whenever he visits DK district. “From Byndoor, I have to travel about 130- 150 km to places in DK district. So I cover half the distance the on Friday evening, stay at Karunachari’s house overnight and start the remaining half of the onward journey early on Saturday to participate in Kambala events.
As I keep exercising, not much practice is needed on the field,’’ he told TNIE. On February 6, Vishwanath joined the elite club of racers including Iruvathur Anand (9.57 seconds), Akkeri Suresh Shetty (9.57 seconds), Srinivas Gowda (9.55 seconds) and Nishant Shetty (9.51 seconds). Vishwanath grew up watching Kambala since his childhood.
‘’The Kambala event in Katapady in 2013 inspired me to become a racer. I used to work at a canteen in Mumbai after SSLC. However, I did not like the urban lifestyle. I wanted to engage in agriculture like my parents and siblings. I returned home and started rearing buffaloes. Kambala enthusiasts of Byndoor, Suresh Kadinatar and Venkat Poojary, motivated me to become a Kambala racer. For the past seven years, I have been participating in Kambala events,” he said. On being asked how different it is to run in a slush field, he explained that kambala racer runs in a rhythm that resonates with the steps of buffaloes.