Polo in Rajasthan

Polo – the very name conjures up visions of aristocracy, excellence, style and rare athletic prowess! It is a game that represents power, adventure, beauty, elegance, graceful teamwork, class and above all; traditio. Polo is fascinating and in modern times, it is considered a popular adventure sport.

The origins of the game of polo are obscure; being claimed by China, India, Iran and others. India is said to be the cradle of modern polo which perhaps is derived from Manipur where the game was known as ‘Pulu’. The oldest polo ground in the world is the Imphal Polo Ground. In 1862 the first polo club, Calcutta Polo Club, was established by two British soldiers. However, Polo did not become a passion until the British period when it became a marvelous peacetime pursuit. Rajputs too have always been keen equestrian and so their taking to polo in big way was only natural. Their association with polo dates back to the Mughal period.

Rajasthan is a formidable polo playing state where this sport remains largely confined to the elite social circuit. This super premium category sport still thrives in Rajasthan and has seen a quantum jump in its popularity as a lifestyle sport. Rajasthan polo circuit draws a lot of international glare. It has attracted attention from corporate houses for sponsorship. Going beyond the royalty and the Indian Army, many companies and firms have begun to patronize the sport. Polo facilities are on the rise and polo holidays in India too are in vogue, especially in Rajasthan.

While it is not possible to simply arrive and start playing polo; it is possible to make a special request to play while planning your trip to Rajasthan, especially if you are a group with polo-playing members. This is important because, in season, when the game is played (September-March), the polo teams are often out (in Delhi, Calcutta or Mumbai) on the circuit, or may even be playing overseas. Of course, there is also the chance of having visiting teams in Rajasthan coinciding with the time of your visit.

Watching the sport from a distance is almost as good as playing. It is thrilling to watch players on their horses skillfully follow the ball with sticks in their hand. The superb synchronization between man and his horse, the amazing speed, the brute power, with the backdrop of green arena makes for most exclusive and glorious sport of all.
Rajasthan hosts exciting Polo games in Jaipur. The people of Rajasthan have a special place in their hearts, for Polo. It is not uncommon to have a crowd of 20 thousand people watching the finals of a high goal tournament in Jaipur.

Polo Games & Rules

The Teams :
On a full sized grass field, each team has four people. In an enclosed arena usually played in winter, each team has three people. The rules are common sense based on the player having “right of way” in order to eliminate danger. The Ball creates the “line” or right of way. Therefore, Forehand or backhand shot played on the right-hand side of the pony, no player shall play with his left hand.

The Ground :
The ground is 300 yards long, 160 yards wide if boarded. Being boarded means the field has a 11 inch upright board bounding the perimeter which stops the ball rolling out of play easily. If the ground is un-boarded, it is 200 yards wide and marked with a white line. The goal posts, positioned at each end, are 8 yards apart and 10 yards safety zone at the sides of the field and 30 yards at each end of the field.

Duration of the Play :
The full game may be played over 4. 5 or 6 chukkas as stated in the Tournament Conditions. (For instance, 5 chukkas in middle levels goal, 4 chukkas in lower levels goals). Each chukka is timed to last 71/2 minutes s, then a bell is rung, but the game goes on until the ball goes out of play or there is a foul, or for another 30 secs when the bell is rung again, the chukka ends where the ball is. There are intervals of 3 mins between chukkas and 5 mins at half time. Ends are changed at every goal scored - this has been found fairest when there is a wind. The last chukka will end on the sound of the first bell unless the Tournament conditions require a result and the teams are tied. In this event play will continue until either a goal has been score or award or on the first sound of the second bell. In the latter event extra time will be played. A polo pony can only play two chukkas during a match and not two chukkas in succession. That is why there is a change of ponies after each chukka. At half-time – after two chukkas – there is a five minute interval.

Handicaps :
Each player is handicapped (on a 6 chukka basis) from -2 up to 10 goals (the top professional players). The aggregate handicap of the four players in a team is the team handicap. e.g. if all players have a handicap of 2 goals each, the team handicap is 8 goals and is referred to as an '8 goal team'. In handicap tournaments, if both teams do not have an equal aggregate handicap, one team is given a number of goals start which is calculated as follows: the number of goals start is obtained by multiplying the difference between the two teams' handicaps by the number of chukkas and dividing by 6, any fraction counting a half a goal.