Splashed across your morning papers on the Sports page, often as not, on a Delhi winter you’ll find visuals of nattily dressed gents and glamorously attired ladies, complete with hats and binocs watching men at play, on horses, chasing a ball from one end of the grounds to the other. It’s polo season and the stalls are filled to the brim with enthusiasts cheering on their favoured teams. 

The glitz and glamour of polo today is a volatile fusion of sport and regal lifestyles, with champagne, caviar and socialising on the grounds mid-game at some of the even more exclusive invitation-only events.

In India, this ‘sport of kings’ found its roots in the game of sagol kangjei from a small community in the Northeastern state of Manipur. The players would battle it out on local ponies, while chasing a small ball with sticks, in the spirit of competition and camaraderie.  Even today the game is infused with this tradition of riding skills, and the spirit of camaraderie and character-building— despite the modern-day glamour, the luxury and elegance surrounding it.

In 1858 two British soldiers, Lieutenant Joe Sherer and Captain Robert Stewart, who had witnessed the game while visiting Manipur, were so taken by the game, that on returning to Calcutta recommended it to their peers as a new sport. The idea was embraced wholeheartedly resulting in two goalposts set up on a field and the establishment of four members per team. This set the ball rolling for the creation of what we know as the Calcutta Polo Club in 1860. It is the world’s oldest polo club. Polo then took England by storm… it's now played in about 80 countries. 

Today the Calcutta Polo Club is one of India’s most lively polo clubs. Its polo season is usually held in December at the Pat Williamson Ground in Kolkata. The club also offers horse riding and archery workshops. 

In 1892, the Indian Polo Association (IPA) was established. Polo teams from Alwar, Bhopal, Bikaner, Jaipur, Hyderabad, and many others joined the prestigious association. Chief amongst these were the Central India Horse, Prince Albert Victor’s Own Cavalry, and the 10th Royal Hussars.

A leading light in the Indian polo landscape was the Jaipur team, which has an unbeaten record to this day, having won all the open tournaments in the United Kingdom and the Indian Championship successively from 1930 to 1938. For travellers to get an opportunity to witness a polo match in Jaipur with such a precious legacy is something really special, especially for sports lovers.

It’s interesting to learn that Jaipur’s HH Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II, no mean polo player himself with a handicap of nine, built a state-of-the-art polo ground right near the place to indulge his passion for the game.  He was inspired to create the Jaipur Polo Team in the 1900s around the time when polo was making its formal debut in the country. 

If you are keen to learn or play a chukka, Jaipur has about 10 polo grounds where you can try out your paces. If you want to watch the players battle it out Jaipur’s polo season stretches from August to October-end with some shining moments at the Sawai Man Guard Polo Cup, Bhavnagar Polo Trophy Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Cup amongst others. If you are in town later than this you could catch some of the tournaments in the February Polo Season, which includes the Jaipur Open, Rajmata Gayatri Devi Memorial Cup, the Sirmour Cup, and the Rajasthan Tourism Polo Cup amongst others.

The Rajasthan city of Jodhpur too is connected to the game of polo through Lieutenant–General Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh (1843-1922), brother of Maharaja of Jodhpur.  He established the Jodhpur Lancers and institutionalized them into polo.  Jodhpur boasted some of the finest grounds in the latter part of the 19th Century, the oldest being the Chammi Polo Grounds which played host to the Prince of Wales and Lord Mountbatten in 1921. The House of Rathore is the cornerstone of polo heritage in India.  Jodhpur hosts its polo season in the month of December. The Jodhpur Polo Season was officially established in the early 1890s, marking Jodhpur as a premier polo destination. Over time, it has grown in prestige, hosting high-goal tournaments and attracting elite players from around the globe. H.H. Maharaja Gaj Singh II has played a pivotal role in nurturing Jodhpur Polo and elevating the sport to global recognition.

The world-class grass ground created and maintained by the Maharaja Gaj Singh Sports Foundation in the year 2000, coupled with exceptional facilities for players, horses, and spectators, reasserted Jodhpur as the 'Mecca' of polo, hosting prestigious tournaments and drawing enthusiasts worldwide every December. The Maharaja Gaj Singh Sports Foundation Polo Ground (MGSF) has been pivotal in showcasing the best of competitive polo and spectacular events including the prestigious Army Commander's Cup and the Indian Air Force Longewala Cup Exhibition Cup. 

If equestrian events thrill you, make a note that the Marwari Horse Society brings you an epic showcase of tradition and equestrian excellence at the spectacular Marwar Horse Show 2025 on 1st & 2nd February 2025 at the MGSF grounds. If you are interested in learning how to play the game you can get in touch with the Jodhpur Polo & Equestrian Institute.

Just for interest’s sake did you know that jodhpurs, the Indian horse-riding pants, took birth in Jodhpur? Inspired by the Indian churidar pyjama jodhpur pants became a more comfortable option for riding than the English breeches. The polo-playing Sir Pratap Singh, Regent of Jodhpur was unhappy about the breeches he had to wear so he looked for another option. This he found in churidar, which with a few adaptations suited the purpose ideally. He decided to keep its tight fit from the calf to the ankle but loosened it more along the thighs and hips for greater freedom of movement while riding. Eventually, the Jodhpur gained popularity amongst other polo players. When Sir Partap Singh led his team, outfitted in the new jodhpurs, on the polo grounds during a match in England, the Brits were quite taken with them and decided to adopt the new design themselves. Today the jodhpur has been further adapted as a fashion statement and for everyday wear.

The Delhi Polo Club was founded in 1968 by the Late Captain Kundan Singh. It is now run by his daughter. The polo season in Delhi is a hugely popular feature on the social calendar of the city’s glam crowd. From sports buffs to ambassadors, from celebs from Bollywood to fashion divas…they all rock the stands. The Delhi Polo Season typically runs from October to December marked by some thrilling tournaments such as the Maharaj Prithi Singh of Baria Cup, the Rajmata Gayatri Devi Memorial Cup, and the Rajasthan Tourism Polo Cup. The spring polo season in Delhi is scheduled for March 2025. 

In Mumbai, The Amateur Riders’ Club (ARC) is one of the oldest and largest private civilian riding clubs in India. It’s an excellent place for all age groups as it arranges a wide range of activities including show jumping, polo, dressage, plot tent pegging etc.

For equestrian buffs, India offers a variety of thrilling polo championships, but there are several venues where you can take your first steps in learning the ropes of this thrilling sport. When planning a holiday in India navigate your time around the polo seasons and see what fun you have.