Kundapur; Nov 28: Famous Manuru buffalo race near Kota was held. More than 80 pairs of buffaloes from local and other parts of the taluk were made to run in the slush field.
Manur Buffalo’s race:
Members of buffalo race field house in co-ordination with entire citizens of the region have been organizing Manur buffalo’s race, which has got 200 years of history every year.
After the death of late Dhoomanna Shetty, owner of the race field, Raghurama Shetty used to launch the event, by making his buffaloes to run first in the early morning and thereby he will launch the race. Thereafter customs have been performed by making hundreds of buffaloes to run. Finally buffalo race will end by making the buffaloes of the owner of the field to run along with the torch made of rags and a stick.
The specialty of this buffalo’s race is that here there are no competition between teams or buffaloes. This has been organizing since longtime purely as a tradition and folklore game.
Speaking to the media senior citizen Basava Poojary said that it is a miracle that area of Manur’s buffalo’s race field is around 2.5 acres and on the day of buffalo’s race, the field is filled completely with slush and water and on the very following day of the race, the complete water will get dried up and become as any other normal field. Every year after the buffalo race festival was over through agricultural activities in the field, the cereals and grains also will be grown in the field.
Handhe’s buffalo famous:
In Manur buffalo’s race, buffaloes of Kote Hande family were the centre of attraction and were being brought in procession along with orchestra and beating of drums and tied at the entrance of buffalo race field owner’s house and left there for some time. At the end of buffalo race, yoke will be tied in midst of orchestra and blowing of trumpet and allow them to run in the slush field.
At this time thousands of viewers, people assembled enjoy the race with great enthusiasm and anxiety by whistling, dancing and clapping. At one stage people will start think that this may be the end of the race but it is not like that buffaloes of the owners house must run along with torch made of rags and stick to conclude the race.
In the Tuesday conducted buffalo’s race, locals have brought their decorated buffaloes from their respective houses along with orchestra, blowing of trumpet and beating of drums in view of encouraging the buffalo racer. More than 3 to 4 thousand people have witnessed this massive buffalo race.
At the end of the race, owners of the buffaloes who brought their buffaloes have been felicitated by offering them tender coconut and sugar cane stick.
This being the traditional game, was being celebrated since ancient times and still continued to be celebrated as folklore and as benediction, says B.Rajeeva Shetty, owner of the race field.
The land where predominance is being given for agriculture in the district, through the belief of deity, this sport is being celebrated in the name of benediction for the well-being of buffaloes and government should support this game says Ganapati.T.Shriyan, taluk panchayat member.
