Kadri Kambala rekindles folk glory

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar)
December 2, 2012
Mangalore, December 2: The glory of Mangalore's historic tradition came alive once again at the slushy field near Manjunatha temple at Kadri during annual 'Kambala' on Sunday.

Events like 'kesarugadde ota', 'tug-of-war', twin-track buffalo slush track race, 'teppangai' and a treasure hunt competition were held for men and women prior to the actual Kambla.

A distinct feature of Kadri Kambala is that it will begin in the afternoon and end before sunset. Many other Kambalas in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts begin in the afternoon, go on throughout night and sometimes continue till the next noon.

Without doubt, the buffaloes were the stars of the show. Throughout the morning, pairs of buffaloes appeared at the venue, escorted by their drivers. The buffaloes had been washed and adorned with leaves and tinsel.

Before being sent into the field, they were first worshipped at the home of Navaneeth and Bhaskar Shetty, sons of the late Balakrishna Shetty, who belonged to the Kadri “Guthu” family.

As soon as each pair of buffaloes appeared, the cheerleaders, consisting of drummers and persons playing various musical instruments, welcomed them noting their arrival.

The pairs of buffaloes plunged into the slush and were made to run the entire length of the field, along with one accompanying the driver. It was clearly a challenge for the beast and its master. As they emerged out of the field, which had slush up to the knees, the crowd parted to allow the buffaloes their way.

The historical Kadri Kambla of Sri Manjunateshwara of Sri Kshetra Kadri kicked off here on Sunday under the guidance of Mahantaras Sri Sandhyanath of Kadri Sri Yogishwara Mutt.H

istorical records showed that Kadri Kambala was originally organised under the patronage of the kings of the Alupa dynasty.

Hence it is also known as Arasu Kambala. Since it is being held near the Kadri Manjunatha Swamy temple, it is also known as Devara Kambala.

Kambla is being held in three categories - kana halage, hagga hiriya, and haga kiriya. Owners of buffaloes winning the race will get a gold medal.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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