PESHAWAR, June 4: The Shandur Polo Festival held annually since 1936 from 7th to 9th July is being held earlier than its usual time this year due to Ramazan.
The event will be held from July 2 to 4. Preparations are underway for the “Game of the Kings” at the highest polo ground of world situated at 12,500 feet above sea level, where the matches are held between different teams of Chitral and Gilgit.
A press release issued by the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa here on Tuesday said that preliminary meetings had been held under the chairmanship of the TCKP managing director, Tarik Jamil, in this regard.
The TCKP will set up a camping village for the tourists. Thousands of tourists, international and domestic both, will witness freestyle polo “on the roof of the world”. It was the biggest tourism event in Pakistan, said the press release.
Supporters from both the sides travel long distances from remote parts of Chitral and Gilgit to watch the thrilling game. The event offers a fascinating insight into the lifestyle of the people of this region, their culture, and indigenous customs.
The manager events, Mohammad Ali Sayyed, while giving details stated that tourists had an option to reach Chitral via air or by road. Flights are operated by PIA from Peshawar and Islamabad and the flying time is just 40 minutes. Land route via Lowari Pass takes about nine hours. From Chitral the road is a jeep track and takes another six hours.
The event also includes cultural music and dance performances of Chital and Gilgit along with paragliding and numerous other activities such as fishing, horse riding, mountaineering, hiking and exploring.
The polo tournament has also added some attractions for visitors including trout fishing at the nearby streams and lakes and a festival of folk music and dance reminiscent of northern Pakistani culture.
The highlight of the festival is the final match which presents a colourful spectacle and extraordinary extravaganza never to be forgotten.
Historically, polo being the king of games was played between small kingdoms, villages and rival groups. Some also claim that it was played even before the First World War. Shandur Polo Festival has gained a legendary status and is of great interest to domestic and international adventure tourists alike. There are no umpires and there are no holds barred. Played in its original devil-may-care manner, the rules are: there are no rules!
The TCKP managing director said that the Shandur Polo Festival would not only provide entertainment to the tourists but also generate a lot of revenue for the local people.