Polo in India

Polo in India

Polo in Jaipur
Country India
National team India

India is considered the cradle of modern polo.Manipur (Kangleipak) is recognised as the Origin of Modern Polo.Origins of Polo (Sagol Kanjei) Sagol mean horse Kanjei Mean hockey stick can be traced to 3100 B.C. from ancient book of Manipur/Kangleipak called "Puya".The Royal Chronicle of Manipur, Cheitharol Kumbaba, gives an account of a Polo match between the friends of Ngonda Lairen Pakhangba who ascended the throne of Manipur in 33 A.D. On that occasion he introduced his queen Laisana to the royal crowd as a proof of his marital fidelity to her.

           After the connection with British with this magnificent game they admired this game and started playing.The game was introduced in England from India in 1869 by the 10th Hussars at Aldershot, Hants and the earliest match was the one between the  9th Lancers and the 10th Hussars at Hounslow Health, Greater London in July, 1871. The earliest international match between England and the USA was in 1886. The game's governing body is the Hurligham Polo Association, which drew up the first English rules in 1875. when it was played as Sagol Kangjei" .The oldest polo ground in the world is the Imphal Polo Ground in Manipur State.Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty in the 15th century, firmly established its popularity in other part of India. The period between the decline of the Mughal dynasty and the upsurgence of the British Imperial rule, polo almost vanished from the Indian mainland. Fortunately, the game survived in a few remote mountainous enclaves of the subcontinent, notably Gilgit, Chitral, Ladakh.

In India, the popularity of polo has waned and risen many times. However, it has never lost its regal status. In the last few decades, the emergence of privately owned teams has ensured a renaissance in Indian polo. Today, polo is not just restricted to the royalty and the Indian Army.

References

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