Game of Polo in Ladakh: People cheer both teams with Drums and Shehnai

From the archive record

Locals cheer polo teams with drums and shehnai in Ladakh while the players ride horses and play Polo in the barren valley of Ladakh. It’s believed that the game of polo was introduced to Ladakh in the 15th century CE through a princess belonging to Baltistan, who also happened to be a mother of the Ladakhi ruler, Singge Namgyal. The game has grown in popularity over the years and is considered to be an essential part of Ladakhi culture today. This game, which is highly loved by the people, is played during local sport competitions including all festive occasions like Losar (Buddhist New Year) and Nowruz (Muslim New Year). However, it’s interesting to note that the kind of Polo played is Ladakh is different from the kind of polo played all over the world. Here, the game is played on arid la