Chitral—A three-day-long Shandur Polo Festival will be held from first week of july. This Polo Festival is organized at the highest polo ground of the world known as “Shandur”. It is expected that many local and foreign tourists will attend the festival. The festival will be full of Gilgit and Chitral cultural and regional activities. Besides polo matches, there will also take place the events of Tug of War, Paragliding and Musical Chairs.Talking to APP the Official said that stern security measures have already been put in place in view to thwart any untoward incident.
The government of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa has invited the newly-wed British Royal couple to the famous Shandur Polo tournament. The chief minister of the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, Haider Hoti has officially confirmed the invitation to Prince William and Princess Kate to watch final of Shandur Polo tournament in Chitral on July 9th. Shandur Polo Tournament is an annual festival held every July at the Shandur Pass in the northern areas of Pakistan where rival teams from Chitral and Gilgit play. The tournament is held on Shandur Pass, the highest polo ground in the world at just under 4000 meters where the Hindukush, Pamir and Karakoram ranges meet. The Shandur pass is about 3738 meter above sea level lies midway between Chitral and Gilgit.
The colorful festival also includes folk music and dancing and used to attract large number of foreigners in the past when militancy comparatively low in Pakistan. History of Shandur festival The polo tournament, played on Shandur Top, known as “playing on rooftop of the world”, had been a regular feature since centuries in the area. The area has hosted this game since the past 800 years and history has it that in 1920s, King of the area has started the famous tournament for promotion of integration between different areas under his realm. He ordered the ruler of Moskuj (the Hindukush highland between Chitral and Gilgit), hold the polo tournament between the best players for the purpose. In the past the local Mehtars , Mirs and Rajas (administrators, or rulers of states) were patrons of polo.—APP
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