 A game with no rules, while none which are apparently followed. A game where man and beast move together in perfect synchronization. A game which is definitely not for the swish set or the faint hearted. Welcome to a game of polo, as it is played in Ladakh. In Ladakh, polo is rough and tough. There is no fall. The most fall in the game is dangerous. As compared to downed polo games. There is a lot of danger crossing here. There are dows that pull the polo. Although its origins are lost in obscurity, it is generally believed that it came and managed with the Balti princess Geyal Khatum, the pride of King Jamiang Namgyal. The fact is that polo for centuries has been a very popular sport in these rugged mountain valleys of the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges. In India, Ladakh in the north and Manipur in the east are the last two surviving bastions of polo in this very different avatar. There are no gentle chakras or change of mouths midway here. The pace is furious. The game continues and the tempo maintained right till the end. Apart from the men and horses, music is the other indispensable must in a polo match in Ladakh. Surna, the flute and Daman, the drum. As the excitement on the field increases, so do the beat of the Daman and the note of the Surna. The musicians ensure that the adrenaline continues to flow fast and faster still. Even now, a game of polo in the village ground or shagaran means that there are just two categories of people, those playing and those cheering. In fact, to be a part of the village team till recently was considered a matter of great pride. However, progress, development, globalization have taken their toll. Changing lifestyles and urbanization mean that the locals have little time or inclination for a game once considered the king of games and the game of kings. But for these men on their horses, others can choose to play whatever games they may wish. For them, there is only one game worth playing and that is the one they play.