Kundapura: Keradi Kambala, popularised by movie Kantara, gets underway

Team Udayavani, Nov 29, 2024, 10:18 AM IST

Kundapura: The historic Keradi Kambala, known for its rich tradition, will take place on November 29. This Kambala, with a 200-year-old legacy, gained nationwide recognition after being featured in the Kannada movie Kantara.

Unique Traditions

Legend has it that the 12-acre Kambala field in Keradi was built overnight by the Pandavas and is linked to the Moodugallu cave temple. A unique practice here involves releasing cattle into the Kambala field as a vow when animals in the village fall ill.

The event is organized by the Beedinamane family, to which actor and director Rishab Shetty belongs. Senior members Singari Shetty and Narayana Shetty, with the support of villagers, lead the festivities.

Cultural Significance

The Kambala day begins with rituals to the family deity Malayali Bobbarya and associated deities, followed by traditional musical processions to the field. Later, villagers release cattle into the field as part of the vows. The event includes senior and junior rope races, plank races, and sub-junior competitions. The final event is the release of Beedinamane cattle under floodlights, marking the end of Kambala.

Cinematic Connection

Kantara, directed by Rishab Shetty, showcased scenes filmed in this very Kambala field, with an eight-day shoot capturing the grandeur of the festival. Rishab reportedly trained for four weeks to race buffalo for the movie, bringing Kambala into the limelight.

“This Kambala is deeply rooted in our culture. Our Beedinamane family has organized it for generations, and the entire village celebrates it with great enthusiasm,” said Rishab Shetty.