POLO in Chitral is a very popular team sport like in whole North Pakistan.
The traditional polo is played on a grass field. Each polo team consists of four riders and their mounts.
The objective is to score goals by driving a small white wooden or plastic ball into the opposing team’s goal using a long-handled mallet.
POLO game is divided into four to eight 7-minute periods called chukkas.
-
Chitral
is a beautifull mountain town in North Pakistan, at the foot of Tirich Mir 25,289 ft (7,708 m), the highest peak of the Hindu Kush mountain range in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) close to the Afganistan border.
POLO Ground is next to Ataliq Bazaar- main street in town. From May till late November there are Polo games usually on Sundays, and training during a week.
The owner of Chinar Inn hotel we stayed in invited us for a Sunday Polo Match in Chitral’s Polo Ground.
Besides watching and enjoying the thrilling game, we got green tea as guests from our host. We also had a long chat with local players, and could walk around during breaks to observe social life in Chitral. People were friendy and polite, and mostly concentrated on event matters. It was a lovely afternoon.
POLO can be a very traumatic sport. Injuries like bruises, abrasions or even fractures happen all the time.
For me it was very interesting to see how serious POLO in Chitral is. It’s a matter of pride, honor and also prestige to win a POLO competition. People invest in horses and training to be the best.
I was there in September, unfortunately too late for SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL.
Every year 7-9th of July the Festival takes place on the world’s highest Polo ground in Shandur Top – mountain pass (3700m). Visitors experience a traditional polo tournament between the teams of Chitral and Gilgit. POLO rules, but Folk music, dance and traditional sports accompany the event and create specific entourage. Camping Villages are also set up on the Pass.
