Buffaloes in Vijayanagar era Dasara: Kambala opponents accuse CM of distorting history

The environmentalists and other organisations opposing the conduct of Kambala during Mysuru Dasara have accused Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of distorting history by claiming that buffaloes had participated in the Dasara celebrations during the rule of Vijayanagar empire.

While addressing the gathering at the inauguration of Mysuru Dasara 2026 atop Chamundi Hills on Sunday, Mr. Shivakumar claimed that historical accounts indicated that the rulers of Vijayanagar empire brought buffaloes for Dasara celebrations.

However, Parisarakkagi Naavu’s general secretary Parashuramegowda, in a statement here on Tuesday, said the Chief Minister’s claim is “far from truth”.

He said the Joint Action Committee of farmers’ organisations, the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS), the ‘Parisarakke Naavu’ organisation, and progressive and pro-Kannada organisations strongly condemns the “distortion of history in the presence of hundreds of religious leaders and several elected representatives” by the Chief Minister of the State.

“According to historians and experts on heritage, there is not a single record of buffaloes participating in the Dasara celebrations (Mahanavami festival) observed by the rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire,” he said.

Renowned Portuguese traveller and writer Domingo Paes, who visited the Vijayanagara Empire in 1520–22, during the reign of the celebrated ruler Krishnadevaraya, has mentioned in his book Chronica dos Reis de Bisnaga (Chronicle of the Kings of Vijayanagara) that 25 buffaloes and 125 sheep were sacrificed during the Mahanavami festival, he said.

Quoting historians and heritage experts, Mr. Parashuramegowda pointed out that the carvings on the Mahanavami Dibba within the Royal Enclosure at Hampi depict animals such as elephants and horses, but not buffaloes.

“Distorting history to justify the organisation of the Kambala race despite strong opposition from the public and several organisations does not befit the office of the Chief Minister,” he said.

Kambala, a traditional buffalo race that originated in the Tulu Nadu region 600–700 years ago, is organised for recreation and to express gratitude to the deities during the festive harvest season following the paddy harvest. Organising the event as part of the Mysuru Dasara festivities at a time when farmers and ordinary people are facing severe hardship due to a devastating drought is evidence of the Chief Minister’s stubbornness, the committee alleged. 

Despite widespread opposition to Kambala over the past three-and-a-half months, the event is being held, demonstrating that the Chief Minister has no regard for public sentiment, said Mr. Parashuramegowda.

Although Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Swami, who inaugurated the Dasara festivities, emphasised the importance of environmental conservation in his address, the Chief Minister has disregarded these concerns and defended the organisation of Kambala, which the committee claims causes environmental degradation. “The people of the State will not forgive this,” he said.

Even at this late stage, Mr. Parashuramegowda said the Joint Action Committee urges the Chief Minister to reconsider his decision and cancel the Kambala event in Mysuru, which it said was unwanted by a majority of the city’s residents. The funds allocated for the event should be diverted towards alleviating the hardships faced by the farmers, he said.