Mangaluru: The District Kambala Samithi on Sunday decided to chalk out the kambala calendar for this season during the Navarathri even as samithi’s honorary adviser Gunapala Kadamba cautioned against commercialising events and turning them into another kind of gambling.

Comprising kambala organisers, participants and well-wishers from Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kasargod districts, the samithi had a special general meeting at Moodbidri in which a new set of office-bearers assumed responsibilities.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Kadamba said the sheen of original kambala was drastically reducing. It is not just enough to save kambala from legal hurdles, but is also essential to uphold and protect the sanctity of the performance, he said. Mr. Kadamba also suggested that only those buffalo bulls, which are fit to run, should be brought to the field, and the government should constitute an expert committee for this purpose.

Stating that kambala, a folk event of the region, has the backing of the law, advocate Rajashekhar urged the samithi to fight the fresh legal battle initiated by PETA in the Supreme Court challenging the Karnataka Amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. He said PETA did not array the samithi as one of the respondents and as such, the samithi should urge the State and Union governments to ask the advocate and solicitor generals to argue for kambala. Mr. Rajashekhar urged kambala organisers to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations made by the State government for the conduct of kambala.

Retired customs officer Ermal Rohith Hegde urged participants to focus more on quality rather than their desire to win the race. Hold the event as per the customs and do not violate the law, he said.

While Moodbidri MLA Umanath A. Kotian said he did not have enough experience to conduct kambala, former MLA K. Abhayachandra Jain said as per convention, the MLA is the Moodbidri Kambala Samithi president. He has handed over the reigns to Mr. Kotian and would extend all cooperation for the conduct of kambala, Mr. Jain said.