Karnataka farmer buys pair of oxen for ₹36L for Dasara bullock cart race: Report

Ahead of Dasara festival, a Karnataka farmer has bought a pair of oxen for whopping ₹36 lakh to make them participate in bullock cart race. In Karnataka, it has been a tradition in rural and semi-urban areas to conduct a bullock cart race during the festival time and winning it is a matter of pride for the villagers.

According to a report in The Times of India, Yallangouda Patil, president of Town Municipal Corporation in Mahalingpur made this expensive purchase, surpassing all previous records. A good and strong pair of oxen for the race is usually sold for anywhere between ₹10 to ₹15 lakh but the pair that was bought by Patil was sold for more than a double price. Speaking to the publication, Patil said, “This pair has won the race for 100 times and we learned that the farmer from Hakkimaddi is selling them. We decided to buy it at any cost as we aim to win the upcoming race at Mudhol for Dasara.”

Patil also said that his family made similar purchases earlier. “In the past, we bought oxen for ₹10 to ₹15 lakh but this is the highest amount we spent on a pair. It has been our family tradition to participate in the races. The next task is to look after the oxen with proper feeding and make them stronger for the race,” he was quoted as saying by the publication.

Kambala is another popular animal spot in Karnataka, which is observed in the coastal part of the state. It is a buffalo race held in the winter months when farmers harvest their paddy crops. The race is held on two parallel tracks filled with mud and water. Each pair of buffaloes will also have a jockey, or 'Kambala runner' to control and command the animals on the track.