Shandur Polo Festival to start from July 7

[ghazi52]

Shandur Polo Festival to start from July 7

May 22, 2019

Minister Sports Culture and Tourism Gilgit-Baltistan Fida Khan says Shandur Polo festival will be held from 7th of July in Shandur polo ground.

In an interview with Radio Pakistan Gilgit on Tuesday, he said a meeting of Tourism Department and administration of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be held to finalize the arrangements.

Replying to a question he said Tour D Khunjerab cycle race will be held on CPEC route in Gilgit.

 

[ghazi52]

The Festival

The initiation of Polo in Shandur is credited to The balti raja of Skardu; Ali Sher Khan Anchan who built the polo ground of Shandur as well. Shandur invites visitors to experience a traditional polo tournament which since 1936 has been held annually in the first week of July between the local teams of Gilgit and Chitral. Organized and financed by the Tourism Corporation of NWFP, the tournament is held on Shandur Top, the highest polo ground in the world at 3,700 meters (the pass itself is at 3,800 meters). The festival also includes Folk music, dancing and a camping village is set up. The polo tournament is featured in the first episode of Himalaya with Michael Palin.

Various teams of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan have always played the game of polo closest to its original form. During the early 20th century, the British in neighboring India were the patrons of the game.

Free-styled mountain polo is arguably polo in its purest form. This version of the game played at Shandur-Top has attained legendary status and is of great interest to international and domestic adventure tourists alike. There are no umpires and there are no holds barred. The rules are: There are no rules! In "The Roof of the World" Amin/Willets/Tetley write: "by comparison, an American Wild West rodeo might pass for choir practice." As one player once mentioned: "You can ride head-on into the opponent, if you dare."


Polo in Pakistan

In order to decide the final teams to play at the Shandur Polo Festival preliminary matches are played both in Chitral and Gilgit, in which the best horses and players are chosen for the final games by the local juries. The festival begins on the 7th of July . During the course of the tournament A, B, C and D teams of Chitral and Gilgit. battle it out on the polo field. Each team has six members with 2-4 reserve players in case of injury etc. The match duration is usually one hour. It is divided into two halves, with a 10 minutes interval. During intervals the locals enthrall the audiences with traditional and cultural performances. The game decided in favour of the team scoring more goals. The final is held on 9 July.

The field measures about 200 meters by 56 meters (normal polo field is about 270m by 150m), with 60 cm high stone walls running the length of the field on both sides instead of boards. As six players make up one side, the field can get fairly crowded. This has the advantage of slightly slowing down the pace, which, all things considered, is probably somewhat safety-enhancing. Players rarely wear helmets, The horses' legs often have no bandages, and mallets often have no grips or straps.

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

Why isnt this the national sport?

 

[ghazi52]

This sport is expensive and can not go on mass scale. Although it is very healthy sport.

 

[ghazi52]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1147420497786916864

Shandur Top (el. 12,200 feet (3,700 m)) located in Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Shandur is often called the 'Roof of the World'. The top is flat, a plateau and can be crossed between late April and early November. The grade is very gradual, and the area is crossed by plentiful small streams during summer. The boundary line between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Chitral District) and Gilgit-Baltistan (Ghizer District) is also situated in Shandur Top in Punji-Lasht as per the international boundary law division by watershed initially demarcated by Lt. Col AG Durand( also known as Durand boundary line).
During the annual 'Shandur Polo Festival,' which is organized by the Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP), there is a polo match played on Shandur Top between the teams of Chitral District and Ghizer District. Shandur Pass is one of the major mountain passes of Chitral-Gilgit-Baltistan.

The most exciting polo tournament of the entire Northern Pakistan is played on top of Shandur Pass. It is a place unique and exotic in itself, surrounded by some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. The event marks the annual rivalry between the polo teams of Gilgit and Chitral. The Polo tournament has some added attractions for the visitors; trout fishing at the nearby streams and lakes and a festival of folk dances and music of the Northern Pakistan.

 

[ghazi52]

Shandur Polo Festival begins at highest ground in Chitral

https://nation.com.pk/NewsSource/web-desk
July 07, 2019



A three-day Shandoor Polo Festival began in district Chitral this morning. Inspector General Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Major General Rahat Nasim Khan inaugurated the festival.

Speaking on the occasion, he said holding of such a big polo festival in Shandoor Valley is a breakthrough reflecting that peace has been restored in the country.

He said arranging of polo festival was a difficult task but the security forces and district administrations have made it possible.

The IG FC said Pakistanis have tremendous skills which will be utilized for prosperity and development of the country.

He lauded the efforts of Tourism Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and district administrations of Chitral for arranging recreational activities in the festival.

At the moment, a polo match is being played between Laspur and Ghizer teams.

Different colorful programmes including Paragliding, food stalls and traditional dances have also been arranged in the festival.

Our correspondent Falak Niaz reports from Shandur that more than twenty thousand tourists have arrived in the area on the first of the festival to enjoy the traditional polo tournament.

Shandur Polo ground is situated at a highest level 3800m called as the “Roof of the World” and the King Game has been held annually since 1936.

The polo tournament is featured in the first episode of Himalaya with Michael Palin which have always played the game of polo closest to its original form.

In the past, the British Rulers were the patrons of the game.

Shandur Pass is one of the major mountain passes between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan.

According to the history of Chitral, Shandur is the property of the royal family of Mastuj Chitral, and due to ownership issue the polo was disbanded between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Free-styled mountain polo is arguably polo in its purest form.

This version of the game played at Shandur-Top has attained legendary status and is of great interest to international and domestic adventure tourists alike. There are no umpires and there are no holds barred.

The festival, being organized by the TCKP and administration of Chitral district, attracts thousands of foreign and domestic tourists, fans of “King of games and game of kings” – polo – to watch the thrilling matches between the teams of Chitral and GB.

The TCKP has made all arrangements to hold the festival in a befitting manner to attract domestic and foreign tourists to the scenic region and traditional game in large number.

Stalls have been established to highlight and promote the artworks of Chitral and Gilgit local artists and skilled people. Rafting in Shandur lake, paragliding, archery, fireworks and kite flying would be other features of the event to attract domestic and foreign tourists in great numbers.

Chitral is the most peaceful region and it attracts thousands of domestic and international tourists annually, especially during the Shandur and Kalash festivals.

 

[ghazi52]

PM Khan to watch final polo match today in Shandur

July 08, 2019

Prime Minister Imran Khan will leave for Shandur on one day visit today.

He will undertake one day visit of Shandur to watch final match of Polo therein. He will also distribute prizes among winners.

 

[ghazi52]

The final of Shandur Polo Festival will be played tomorrow between Chitral-A and Gilgit-Baltistan-A.

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

Chitral team lifts Shandur polo cup
July 10, 2019

Players in action during the opening day of the Shandur Polo Festival on Sunday.

CHITRAL: The three-day Shandur polo festival concluded here on Tuesday with Chitral team beating their arch-rivals Gilgit-Baltistan team by a margin of one goal scored in the final minutes of the match.

Over 50,000 people drawn from Chitral, GB and different parts of the country and foreign tourists had assembled at the highest polo ground of the world to enjoy the festivities.

Chitral scored the decisive goal during the last two minutes making Chitral the winner for the sixth consecutive time.

Izhar Ali Khan of Chitral was declared man of the match who scored five of the six goals of Chitral team, while the one was scored by team captain Shahazada Sikandar.

Corps Commander Peshawar Lt-Gen Shaheen Mazhar Mahmood, who was the chief guest, gave away the Shandur Cup to the winning team and prizes to the players.