Rs 9 lakh stone memorial for famed Belludi ram

Davanagere: In a village more accustomed to honouring people, Belludi has turned the spotlight on a ram. A stone memorial costing Rs 9 lakh now stands by the Shivamogga road for Belludi Kaali — a ram from Belludi village in Harihar taluk, whose exploits in ram-fighting arenas are much talked about — not only in Karnataka, but even in the neighbouring states.The memorial will be inaugurated on Jan 25 by the head of Kanaka Guru Peetha, Sri Niranjananandapuri Swami. A free blood donation camp will be organised on the occasion. Brothers Raghavendra DK and Mohan DK, the ram owners, along with their team members, have constructed the memorial, where daily prayers are conducted. Belludi Kaali had participated in several ram-fighting competitions and won multiple awards, earning a large fan following. A sculptor named Shakti from Tamil Nadu, a fan of the ram, built the memorial for a nominal fee. The memorial features carvings of elephants around it, four pillars in each corner, stone chains on the pillars, and a carved statue of Kaali at the centre. While enthusiasts travelled from distant places to watch Kaali perform, several ram owners reportedly avoided entering their rams in events featuring Kaali, fearing impending defeat. Following Kaali's untimely death on Nov 25, 2024, many people gathered to pay their last respects to the ram, buried according to Hindu rituals for humans. Co-owner Raghavendra said the total cost, including an estimated Rs 3lakh for the inauguration, was expected to touch Rs 12 lakh. "We purchased it when it was 10 months old and trained it for ram-fighting. Kaali had fans in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and several other places. Many came to pay their respects. People have even got tattoos done of Kaali's name," Raghavendra said. "Kaali was a sheep raised like a pet. No one imagined it would perform so well. It became the only ram in the state with such fame. Losing it was painful," co-owner Mohan shared. Photo Belludi Kaali, a ram memorial at Belludi in Harihar taluk of Davanagere (Ram Kali)