Once upon a time, a King in Tamil Nadu raised lions and tigers, and to feed them he raised goats and cows. When goats and cows were available, he would request that dogs be sent as food for the wild animals.
One such day, a dog was sent for the lion, the cage was unlocked but to the king's surprise the dog had not been eaten by the lion. The king inquired about the events and ordered that the same dog to be kept in another cage for the next day's meal.
The next day they found out that the dog threatened the lion so much that it left the lion standing motionless. The king and his men were stunned to see this and from that day, Kombai Dogs were bred by the king.
Interesting Facts About The Kombai Dog
Kombai is an ancient breed of a dog from Tamil Nadu.
The Kumbam utamapalayam villages are its breeding grounds.
It's a medium-sized dog that was bred for the purpose of protecting forts and palaces. King's utilized Kombai as a battle dog in ancient times. People used Kombai to protect their cattle from leopards and tigers. They posses qualities of intelligence, alertness, and an athletic energy similar to that of a Bull Dog.
The popularity of this ancient breed and its unique traits spread across the state, and people started rearing these dogs.
The dogs and their puppies were also reared to join the training programme of the Bengaluru Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Variants Of The Kombai Dog
Pulicharal Kombai
The word "puli" means tiger and "charal" means raindrops.
The name is often said to be a nod to the dog's bold personality, similar to that of a tiger.
Finding a Kombai is in itself rare and unusual, and tracking a Pulicharal Kombai is nearly impossible in today's time.
Porru Kombai
In Tamil, the term Porr means "War," as in "War Kombai."
The dog is a very unusual variant with two colors, one in uneven patches and the other in solid patches.
Mandarin War Dog
The Ramanathpuram District is hometown to the Mandarin war dog.
They are usually grey in colour, although there have been other coloured variants which have been spotted in the past.
They were around the same size as the Kombai dog.
Maruthu Pandiyar, a majestic king, is said to have owned some of the puppies of a Mandarin War Breed.
The only evidence of the Mandarin War dogs comes from the statues that were discovered in ancient temples and their ruins.
Kombai's History
Some of the written reference that were found were written by colonel James Welsh in 1772.
James Welsh was a British Army Officer, who served in the Poligar War.
He tells an interesting tale in his book - Military Reminiscences.
The British encountered the ferocious Kombai dogs while battling for the fort of the famous Maruthu Pandiyar brothers in Kalayar Kovil. The dog was guarding in such a ferocious manner that he recalled the British had no option left but to put down their ammunition's and let the dogs enter the fort.
James Henry Nelson, an author and historian, was one of the first people to write about Kombai. He describes the Kombai dog's characteristics in his book - Madhura Country (1868). He defines the Kombai as brave, trustworthy and of grave importance in ancient society. He also mentioned the exchange between local rulers, who gave their horses in return for the Kombai Dog.
Between 580 and 630 CE, a hero stone called Eduthanur, was erected in Tamil Nadu with the drawing inscribed in stone which resembled a man and his dog called Kovivan. The sculpture was from an ancient temple depicting a man holding a dog. The dog's jaws were open, exposing its teeth. It has bat-like erect ears and a muscular and well-built body. This dog looked a lot like the Kombai.
Save the Kombai
Nowadays, everyone wants a Labrador, a Golden Retriever or a German Shepherd.
The Kombai could be saved if enough people had a strong desire and love to rear this special canine.
The Kombai Dogs are renowned for their fight in guarding the Maruthu Pandian Brothers, where they heroically fought against the British.
They are known to be on the verge of extinction because dog-owners prefer non-native breeds which can be easily maintained.
In reality, the Kombai Dogs are extremely economical for their owners. Heat and Humidity is never a problem for this breed and they posses a strong immune system that hardly ever gives way to sickness and ill health.
The Kombai Dogs, if not yet extinct, need to be identified from remote places in the country and protected at all costs.
Written By - Pratthiksha Shree A
Edited By - Tushna Choksey
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