Col-lringfull cycle A quiet little operation in Mysore is keeping the glorious tradition of cycle polo alive in Karnataka, says Jaideep Sen. uch like its originalform, horses in the forces, Dundlod said. 1.5 meters in circumference. The undisputed champions of the first the one traditionally played The foremost objective ofthe CPFI, bicycles can be of any make, with four editions of the World Cycle Polo on horsebackwith long- founded in 1966, wasto shed polo's no gears, bells, stands, carriers, Championship since its fi rst edition, handled mallets and a wooden ball, princely associations, said Dundlod. mudguards or other attachments, in Richland, USA, in 1996. The the game of cycle polo too finds its While traditional polo was once while the mallets aretypicallyof decline sincethen was a resultof a mostfaithful patrons amongthe the pursuit of the maharajahs from bamboo cane (sized 32, 34 or 36 change in international regulations, royalty of Rajasthan. The alternative, Alwar, Jodhpurand Patiala, cycle inches) with wooden heads. said Dundlod - where aspects like in fact, helped keep players fit during polo hasfoundtakers in regions The ball was initially made of the "three tap" rule, which restricted off-seasons for polo in the early across the country-from Bhilai, bamboo, but nowteams have moved a playerto three touches of the ball 1900s, noted Raghuvendra Singh Patiala and Puri to Chennai and, on to tennis versions (preferably, atatime, between passes, had Dundlod, a descendant ofthe royal closer home, in Mysore. a designated Cosco lnternational been altered to allowfor dribbling family of Dundlod, and the President The game's rules looselyfollow Bicycle Polo Ball,24cm in diameter, and even resting on the ball. of the Cycle Polo Federation of lndia, its equestrian origins, with teams of 85-909 in weight, and with recorded lndian players, who continue to in a telephone conversation from four and matches divided into four bounce of about 39 inches). follow an older set of guidelines were Jaipur. While the original horseback "chukkers", or quarters, ofseven The CPFI's Mysore association, in initially left a bitflustered bythese form of the game is said to have -and-a-half minutes each (sessions turn, presided over byVijayalakshmi changes, said Dundlod. He added, originated in trainingfor cavalry with five or sixchukkers are common A Patil, its General Secretary, has however, thatthey had lately come units in the Persian Empire, the cycle too). The field dimensions for cycle been workingto popularise the sport around to the idea of a more exciting, version wasfounded by lrish cyclist polo are, however, considerably in the state, with tournaments for fast-paced and even risky style of Richard J Mecredy in 1891. reduced to playinggrounds of 150 both men and women, bringing in the game. Graduallythe variation caught by 100 metres (where polo fields can teams from Bagalkot, Belgaum, For details about events and on, especiallyamong lndian and be as large as nine football fields), Bijapur, Dharwad and Hassan, apart camps conducted by the Cycle Polo British military regiments, what and goalposts 4 metreswide about from Bangalore. Atthe international Federation of lndia in Mysore, call with the diminishing presence of 2.5 meters in heightand about level, the lndian team remained o-94496-96967. September 30 - October 13 2011 www.timeoutbenglaluru.net 25.