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Book Review
Exhilarating equine sport
S. THYAGARAJAN
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The story of Indian polo from its early beginnings to the present day
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POLO IN INDIA: Jaisal Singh, Priya Kapoor; Lustre Press/Roli Books, M-75, G.K. II Market, New Delhi-110048. Rs. 2975.
Polo is a fascinating sport. Both as a spectacle and as a show of variegated skills it is unique in many shades. Associated with the purple of aristocracy and the royalty the world over, polo is not merely an exhibition of muscle strength but a striking manifestation of synchronising the imagination and ingenuity of the rider with the instinctive response of the trained and carefully nurtured horse.
Origin
That the origin of polo still remains in the realm of a guess, triggering a lively debate the world over enhances its mystique. Several arguments are put forward to establish the game’s genesis; and they introduce a filament of enchantment. Chroniclers however have painstakingly worked to identify where it all began.
Though some conclude the evidence unearthed are authoritative, especially from the references in the works of a cluster of authors during the Mughal era, the claims are countered by researchers in Persia (Iran), China, Afghanistan, Korea and other parts. Narrations of a sport, identical, or similar (chaugan) in those immortal books like Ain-i-Akbari and Shah-nama, clearly underscore its existence and patronage from the Mughal emperors, notably Akbar.
To showcase the history, fecundity, depth and the dimensions of an exhilarating sport like polo is without fear of contradiction no easy task. But the author, Jaisal Singh, has endeavoured gallantly, like going on in an awesome gallop after the ball in a chukka, to package the ebb and flow of the sport in India. The details — and they are a legion indeed — are meticulously embroidered to produce a lasting impact, and make the reader imbibe the élan and ethos of polo.
Grandeur
What lends the volume a touch of authenticity is Jaisal Singh’s experience and expertise as a player. The author’s passion and insight into the finesse of the sport contribute to scripting a vibrant tapestry of its history and growth; and to focus on the quality and content, without missing out the extraordinary personages who have left an indelible imprint for posterity.
From the halcyon days of Col. Pratap Singh (Sir P) to the glorious era of Rao Raja Hanut Singh down to the contemporary icon Angad Kalaam, the author has traversed an illuminating path compiling facts and figures with commendable zeal.
The grandeur of the sport is best projected while describing the contributions of the then rulers of Jodhpur, Jaipur, Patiala and Mewar, and on how the tradition for generations was cultured and continued without a trace of decadence, notwithstanding the fads, foibles and caprice of some rulers.
Quite understandably, the author goes poignant when he notes how the interest for competitive polo began to wane in the wake of Independence. However he is happy that the Indian Army has stepped in gallantly to fill the breach and pick up the threads. The link remains unsnapped with the military establishments not only in keeping the sport alive but also producing a cluster of remarkably talented men to win laurels both at home and abroad. Jaisal Singh’s grasp of the sport is such that he is able to project its proliferation with a touch of authority, across the country from Kashmir to Chennai, pinpointing details of competitions, competitors and their achievements.
New era
There are definite indications that the sport is entering a new era with sponsors moving in by droves to cash in on polo’s enlarging glamour. The turnout for competitions in places like New Delhi and other cities up north has been sizeable to encourage leading industrial houses to associate themselves with the sport, which is now attracting more and more sophisticated audience and the local glitterati.
While the narrator, whose credentials to write on the subject are unimpeachable, has succeeded in taking the reader down the beautiful alley of a world of fantasy in equine sport, plaudits for Priya Kapoor for photo research and editing cannot be reckoned as exaggeration.
Photographs (B & W and colour) are plenty, and they embellish the volume. Exotic to behold, they mirror the magnificence of history, sartorial elegance that transport the reader back to the 1930s and 1940s on a time machine.
In a brief foreword, Yuvraj Shivraj Singh, who is recovering from a serious accident on the polo field three years ago, endorses the stature of the author. “I am happy that the author is someone who has worn with credit the colour of the Jodhpur Eagles.”
Both Jaisal Singh and Priya Kapoor have produced an authoritative work on the subject. Price should not be a deterrent for a genuine aficionado.
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