Kambala

Kambala is an annual Buffalo Race held traditionally  in coastal regions of Karnataka, India. This season usually starts in November and lasts until March. About 45 races are being held anually every year. This started as a source of entertainment for ther farmers during off season which is still being continued every year as pride.

Welcome to Kambala

Kambala is traditionally a simple sport. The ‘track’ used for Kambala is a paddy field filled with slush. The contest generally takes place between two pairs of buffaloes, controlled by a whip-lashing farmer. In olden days, the winning pair of buffaloes was rewarded with coconuts and a bunch of plantains. However, Kambala today has become an organised,professional sport. People place massive bets on the buffaloes to win and one can witness more than 20,000 spectators in a well-organised Kambala.

An old Shiv temple in Puttur, Karnataka

We had a chance to be a part of the puttur kambla. Puttur is about 1 hour drive from Mangalore. We stayed in Managlore city and hire a cab to reach Puttur. I shouldn’t forget to quote this about manglore “Well organised city in India. I have seen till now”.

We went to Puttur a bit earlier to the start of the race. There were so many people from near by village coming in trucks with their buffloes to take part in that race.

Crowd entertainers

!!

The practise session started, the owners comes with their buffaloes for registration. An old man cheked the teeths of bulls, by which they catogrise them into senior or junior. Each team is allowed for 2-3 practise run.

Kambala committee member

Beware

Ready for our turn

Entering the race track

Just started

Practise session in progress

The owners hires a jockey for their bulls, the jockeys can run for different team. Howver some of the owners restrist them to their team alone.

Kambala rider refreshes after a practise session

Nothing but muscles

Taller and sharper

A junior team in practise session

Oh my god

I win - You lose

Bulls out of control while entering the race track

The main event started in the afternoon, where 2 team will compete at a time. Who ever finishes the 200 m track willed with water wins the race. This goes on for the entire night till the monday evening when the finals take place. people was buzzing like bees, It was like village festival crowed with 1000s of people.

Bulls went out of control and broke the median

The owner trying to bring them under control

Prasanna with the turban

The Kamabala committe members were happy to see us coming all the way from chennai just for this race. They presented us the red turban as a symbol of respect. Also gave us coupons for tea, snacks and lunch.

Red turban as a symbol of respect

Speed

Lunch and tea tokens for us

Getting ready to start

Waiting for the start

At the starting point

We fly

The urge to win

Thsi old man checks the bulls before they enter the race

Teeth being checked

Registration in process

Proud owner entering the race

Entry pass

Owners being gifted a shawl

Go go go

175 mts

Faster Faster

Their speed breaks the silence

Crowed at the finish point

Lost the race

Lolly

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My First Hero

My First Hero

My First Hero… Dad
He was the one, who showed me the world outside.

Love

The WIKI says Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment, but does this 4 letter word stop there!

Is it only for humans???

There is no end for it.
To be continued………..

Master. Prasanna

Kids, they are gifted to earth. Its always intresting to watch their expressions and activities, sometimes it even gets difficult to handle them 🙂

Recently did a shot for a family friend of mine, sharing few of them here.
Master. Prasanna, 2.8 years old from Nicobar island.
His creativity is from north pole to south pole and ofcourse a big chatterbox.

தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு @ திருநீர்மலை

இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்!!!

அனைவருக்கும் இனிய சர்வதாரி தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்!!!!!

அன்புடன்,
ஜேசன் படைப்புகள்

Sri Neervana Swamy Temple, Thiruneermalai, Pallavaram, Chennai

Thiruneermalai:
Thiruneermalai is a panchayat town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Its about 8 kms from Pallavaram Bus stop. The temple at the top of the hill is famous for filming.

The temple:
The base Temple is dedicated to Lord Rama also known as Neervanan in a standing posture and the temple up the hill has four shrines for Lord Ranganatha (Kidanthaan – in reclining posture), Animamalarmangai Thayaar, Trivikrama (Nadanthaan – in standing posture) and Lord Narasimha (Irundhaan – sitting posture). It is a double prakaram temple. The Garuda shrine faces the Lord. The view from the top of the hill is wonderful.

Legend:
The legend is that when Valmiki prayed to Lord Ranganatha and Goddess Ranganayaki in the base temple, they took the form of Lord Rama and Sita, Sesha, Conch, Chakra as Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatruguna and Garuda as Hanuman. Sage Valmiki could view Lord Ranganatha, Lord Trivikrama and Lord Narasimha in the top temple.

Getting there:
Its hardly 15-20 mins drive from pallavaram or you could board M55A which starts from Broadway and goes through Thiruneermalai till Pazhanthandalam.

In & around Thiruneermalai:

Your life is a piece of clay, dont let anyone else mold it for you.

Pottery and faming seems to be the main works of people there, but its vanishing slowly and very few familys are involved in this told this gentlemen, who closed the business for the day to visit his new born grand daughter. But he himslef came forward and did 2 pot for us to click. hats off to him.

Temple Tank @ Thiruneermalai

Temple at the base of hill

Mandapam at the entrance

Temple Entrance to climb the hill

Entrance of Main temple

A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it ~ Jean de La Fontaine

Whats fun for us..... is life for others.

Life around us!

The world is so big with diffrent characters and each character is very much unique. You may feel pity for someone, you may want to help them at time its out of our hands. Each character I came across this week end, had their own worries inside still they showed a smiling face with a warm welcome.

Its sort of happiness even when you think of an upcoming week end. wake up late, no need to work, have a good time with friends and family and regain all energy to run the coming week. I didn’t expect mush for this week end, but it turned out to be a great week end for me.

Joined a CWC photo walk after a very long time. It’s always happy moments being with Chennai Weekend Clickers right from idli vadai to clicking and the mocka jokes.. pulling each other. Though it was very hard to wake up by 4:30 am and thinking I need to ride about 30-40 km, I really wanted to go to bed again, But today i really wanted to shot with CWC cheered me up.

Our work begins for the day

Riding all alone along the GST road, pammal – kundrathur road reached poonamalle around 5:45. Was damn hungry by this time, though a tea would make me better. Spotted a tea shop and there was Ashok, MRK and Irfan {going for a walk, If you can spot a tea shop with vadai and Bonda, you can always find CWCians there 😉 }

Thanks for that OC tea Ashokji 😉

Soon joined by Guru, Nirmal, Arun, 1more Ashok, and a new CWCian (sorry dont remember his name) and the team was eagerly awaiting the arrival of out “THALAIVAR”. Once Barani joined us and upon his order to “FIRE” we are all set with our machines. Our first spot was at a waste landed, which I later discovered there is big business going on. every where you turn, you can pick a subject of your own. A brick making place.. (athanbaa sengal sula). While talking with a worker, he said their daily work starts at 1 am in the morning, OMG.

Value your own work

Employe(r)

Dirty legs.. but clean heart

81st CWC Walk

Then next was a green spot, in middle of a cultivation farm, where we also took a group pic. then happen to me my first walk with Ashok, I asked him for a portfolio pic. he “DID”. Thanks for that too ji 😉

Filling our stomach with hot idlis and vadi from a small shop where hardly 4-5 and sit. We were about 8-9 and the owner was really happy to server us.  The old granny at the shop was a greta model and patiently posed for me – to be uploaded soon…..Now its time for the next chapter “THE STREET”, WOW…

This place had more of houses in the old style with a cycle infront and kids playing around. one gentle man man forward and took me inside his friends house, where they do hand weaving. It was an very old house and so dark, a man was busy work under a light of big bright bulb. Tried few shot but most of them didnt come out well as it was so dark.

Busy man at work

Unfortunately my display read “Change Battery Pack”, Shame on me… 😦 had to return back home half hearted.

ARUN: stay with us till the end man.
ME: yethuku nenga click pandratha pathu na vaithu yeruchal padaaa… poyaaa poyaa…

Trust me… this walk really made my “DAY”. Though I had to retuen back half way, I was really happy with my shots and to be with my own home team 🙂 Small weekend shopping with a collegue of mine and play with him new camera on the pallavaram bye-pass bridge late night. shiva took to me to a place for panipuri, never knew we do get pani puri so late night.

I was completely exhausted, and the India Vs SA worldcup cricket match 😦

Wished to go to fishing harbour sunday morning, its a place where you find the real “Indian Street”, but had to go out with a friend. But I will be there again sometime very soon.

Few works from this week end walk:

These kids were playing near to the brick factory, they were great models for us 🙂

Joy of childhood

Unloved flower