This outstanding event is one of the highlights of Tourism and generates a lot of local, national and international interest and thus Gupshup administration recognizes its value to pakistan tourism industry. Shandur is a place unique and exotic in itself, surrounded by some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. GS administration has decided to recognize this event this year conforming to its policy of promiting pakistani tourism and culture.
**Shandur Pass **
The world famous Shandur Pass is about 3738 meters above sea level and lies midway between Chitral and Gilgit. The distance from both Chitral and Gilgit is about 168 kilometers. These areas remain snow covered in winter and turn into a green heaven during summer. There is a big lake in the area. The traditional Polo tournament is held here every year in the month of July. Foreign tourists and natives come to see the festival. Combine polo with camping at Phander, alake with abundant golden trout in it’s deep blue water, gentle walks and strenuous climbs. You would want to do this again and again.
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** Polo at Shandur **
*Polo is an equestrian sport with origin embedded in Central Asia dating back to 6th century BC. At first it was a training game for cavalry units for the King’s guards or other elite troops. To the warlike tribesmen who played polo with as many as 100 players to a side, it was a miniature battle. It became a Persian national game in the 6th century AD. From Persia, the game spread to Arabia, then to Tibet, China and Japan. In China, in the year 910, death of a favourite relative in a game prompted Emperor Apao-Chi to order beheading of all players!
First ever Polo match at Shandur pass was held in 1936 its. The games originated in the dim and distant past in the high mountains of the Hindukush and Karakoram ranges amongst the horse loving peoples of Chitral, Gilgit, Hunza, Nagar and Skardu.
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Here it is still played in its original form, a game as tough, rough and hard, on man and horse as the surrounding mountains themselves. A game without rules or umpire, a game with only a few agreed conventions of play, a game quite different from the one played on the lush green, soft grounds of England, Argentina and such countries. Polo (aka Istorghar in Chitral) has been the traditional sport for centuries. It is the national game of this valley. The game is commonly played to the music band comprising a big drum, a couple of kettledrums and two clarinets. Different tunes are played at different time and for different players on the occasion of “Tampoq”.. There are six players on each side and duration is forty to sixty minutes with some break in between, and a player will play a total game with the one horse from start to end and can’t change his horse between the match. If a player are serious injury in a macth, or hores died so the other team player will be sit down. Every year Chitral has the distinction of hosting the traditional Polo tournament of Shandur.*
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The event, as such, offers a fascinating insight into the lifestyle of the people of this region. Their culture and indigenous customs are a delight to behold for the visitors.
N. Pak meiN hai, Saby you should’ve posted map of Pak as well.
this and Kalash…inshallah.