Breeds of Ajjampura and the Amrit Mahal kavals
The breeding station of the Amrit Mahal, the royal draught cattle of Mysore, kept on reserved grasslands called kavals.
Breeds of this place
Best time: October to February, when the grass is green after the rains.
The Amrit Mahal was the cattle department of the rulers of Mysore. Its herds supplied bullocks for the army: Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan used them to move artillery, and the British kept the department after 1799. The cattle grazed on reserved grasslands called kavals. Today a government breeding station at Ajjampura, in Chikkamagaluru district, keeps the main herd of the Amrit Mahal breed.
The breed
Amrit Mahal cattle are grey, with long, pointed horns rising close together from the top of the head. They are fast, fiery draught animals, developed from Hallikar stock. Their name is often explained as coming from an old royal dairy department, and over time it came to mean the herds and the breed. Pure animals are now few, and the station breeds them for farmers and for conservation.
The kavals
The kavals are open grasslands, once numbering in the hundreds, set aside for the royal herds. Many survive, mainly in Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Tumakuru and Davanagere districts. Some have been given over to other uses, which remains a subject of debate. The grasslands are also important for wildlife, including blackbuck and the great Indian bustard.
A trail idea for Ajjampura and the Amrit Mahal kavals
- Ajjampura breeding station The government farm where the main Amrit Mahal herd is kept.
- The kaval grasslands Open grazing land reserved for the herds since the days of the Mysore kings.
- Tarikere The nearby taluk town and its markets.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Ajjampura" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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