POLO IN INDIA 275 



ground. The ball, which is made of the root of a particular 

 sort of bamboo called kundroom^ undergoes an elaborate pro- 

 cess of seasoning before it is considered fit to play with. It 

 then becomes very tough and as light as a cork, lightness which 

 would hardly be considered an advantage by English polo- 

 players, since it cannot be driven very far. The ground at 

 Munnipore, where all the important matches are played at 

 festivals and on great occasions, is 225 yards long by no yards 

 wide, and is enclosed by a small bank of earth about two feet high 

 all round. This keeps the ball within bounds and corresponds 

 with the boundary boards at Hurlingham. No goal -posts are 

 used, but the game is called as soon as the ball is hit to one 

 end of the ground. 



The usual number of players varies from seven to nine 

 .a side, but this is often exceeded, as many as fifteen a side 

 sometimes playing ; but for matches nine a side is considered 

 the correct number. They have few or no rules connected 

 with the game, though some strategical science is exhibited, 

 and they place their men somewhat in the fashion we do ours 

 having a ' back,' who is the captain, looked after by a ' No. i ' 

 on the opposite side, and who is generally mounted on a fast 

 pony. They also have a ' half-back,' and the others are ' for-- 

 ward ' players, who arrange themselves pretty much as fancy 

 pleases them, though it is generally understood that the different 

 players are to select some particular opponent to play against, 

 The result is that they play pretty much in pairs, as in the old 

 Persian days, and have a total ignorance of being * off- side,' 

 which fact is indeed not recognised in the Munnipore game. 



Play begins by the two teams assembling in mid-ground 

 when the ball is thrown in. If it is hit out of bounds it is 

 thrown in where it was hit out. In a match a certain number 

 of goals is decided on as the score, and the side that hits this 

 number first is counted the winner. A player may knock away 

 another's stick or may ride him out, but it is not considered 

 fair either to hook an opponent's stick or his body. A player 

 may change ponies as often as he likes, but play is never sus- 



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