SSC
The 'Kambala' festival, a buffalo race in muddy paddy fields, is organised by farming communities in which state?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option D — Karnataka
Detailed Solution
Kambala is a traditional buffalo race held in the coastal districts of Karnataka, mainly Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, the region known as Tulu Nadu. It is organised by farming communities, usually between November and March, after the harvest of the paddy crop.
In Kambala, pairs of buffaloes, tied together with a plough or a wooden plank, are raced through a long, narrow track filled with water and mud, made in a paddy field. A farmer, called the jockey, runs behind the buffaloes, holding the ropes and guiding them with a whip, or stands on a plank pulled by them. The race is usually about 120 to 160 metres long. There are different categories of races, judged by speed or by the height of the water splashed by the plank (in the "kane halage" category, the height of the splash is measured). The buffaloes are specially reared and cared for, and owners take great pride in them. The festival includes music, decorations and large crowds.
Kambala is linked with the agricultural and religious traditions of the Tulu-speaking people. It was traditionally held as a thanksgiving to the gods for protecting the crops and the cattle, and some Kambalas are associated with temples and with the worship of local spirits (bhutas). There are two main types: the traditional Kambala (Pookare Kambala), held as a ritual, and the competitive Kambala, held as a sport.
In 2014, the Supreme Court banned the use of animals such as bulls in races and sports. Karnataka later amended the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in 2017 to allow Kambala, and the Supreme Court upheld such state laws in 2023. In 2020, a Kambala jockey, Srinivasa Gowda, became famous across India when his speed in a race was compared to that of the sprinter Usain Bolt.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Kerala is known for snake boat races and the Thrissur Pooram.
- ✗Tamil Nadu is known for Jallikattu, the bull-taming sport.
- ✗Goa is known for festivals such as Shigmo and the Carnival.
Quick tip
Remember: Kambala = the buffalo race in coastal Karnataka (Dakshina Kannada and Udupi). Jallikattu = Tamil Nadu.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.