There are mainly three types of Polo. The sport of Polo has its roots in India, in the state of Manipur. The princely kingdoms of Rajasthan, with their natural flair for horse riding, adopted the game of Polo and made it their own. These kingdoms often had special stables for Polo ponies and possessed teams which were among the best in the world. Often it was seen that the players were members of royal families or rulers. There were times when women of the royal families were also encouraged to play the sport and they often turned out to be skilful like their men folks if not better. If Polo in India is still a popular game, then a lot of credit must go to the royal families, who have been a continuous support for the game along with the Indian National Army. In recent times, however, there are lots of corporate sponsorship too that has come in and is making successful contribution to the sport.
Horse polo
Rajasthan, traditionally have been the home for polo in India. The Jaipurs were a strong polo playing family and the last maharaja of the state factually died on a polo field with his spurs on. Polo being a glamorous game was successful in garnering international support and publicity for India. And the game has stayed as one of the well known sport among the elite class of the society. Along with Jaipur, which boasts of its own polo team, Udaipur and Jodhpur also have their own formidable polo team. This apart, the 61st Cavalry which is also based in Jaipur has kept the legacy alive in the army. The game requires large number of specially trained bred horses. These horses are carefully nurtured by the players and some cases sponsors help as well.
The main season when the game is played is between the months of September to March. During these seasons the players are often out playing in cities like Delhi, Kolkata or Mumbai or may even be out of the country playing international tournaments. Apart from that there are also visiting teams who come to Rajasthan.
Camel polo
At many tourist festivals in the state of Rajasthan, camel polo has been introduced as competitive and friendly sport.
May be this is the only place in the entire world where the camel polo game is played for fun, mirth and amusement, and not on a serious note.
Bicycle polo
For all those who like their game to be fast paced then bicycle polo can be a good option. This form of the game is very exciting indeed. For two entire decades in the sixties and seventies a lot of focus was provided to the polo sport, mainly in Bikaner, though the same level of impetus has dissipated in the present times. But for all the polo enthusiasts willing to participate in a friendly polo match, or to observe one, a special arrangement can be made on request. In recent times, the polo sport has developed a formidable fan following in the Shekhawati Region.
