Trotternama

But let’s start at the beginning, in the ’40s, when the mechanisation of war was threatening the existence of cavalry units across the world. ‘‘At that time, Prime Minister Nehru, who loved riding, insisted that we have one cavalry unit,’’ says Col Raj Kalaan, 63, of the Cavalry.

Other Nehruvian ideas may have died painful deaths, but this prediction stuck fast. ‘‘When the royal houses abandoned polo after 1947, the 61st Cavalry saved the sport from extinction,’’ adds Col JS Virk, 42, twice captain of the polo team at the World Cup.

Polo and the 61st. It’s tough to think of one without the other. ‘‘The season was on when the Indo-Pak war broke out in 1971,’’ says Col Kalaan. ‘‘Some officers urged Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw to call off the season. But he felt such an act would impact the country’s morale. He told us, ‘You’re doing your duty by playing polo.’ So we played our chakkars by the day and sat through blackouts at night.’’

The Cavalry had a few operational tasks and certain ceremonial duties, including full-regalia participation in the Republic Day parade and promotion of polo and other equestrian sports.

With the focus firmly on showmanship, it was the done thing to go talent-scouting among schoolboys of Sanawar and Mayo—the only two schools here to teach polo.

‘‘In fact, Billy Sodhi made it a habit to initiate any Sanawarian who joined the National Defence Academy into polo and riding,’’ laughs Col Rupinder Singh Brar, 59.

In its brightest days, the 1970s and ’80s, the bulk of the the 61st’s officers came from the hill school. Their duty was not to fight battles but play the sport. ‘‘Polo players in the 61st get 8-10 horses to train and maintain,’’ says Col Billy Sodhi.

In many ways, the 61st is a link with the past. It drew its polo strengths from princely state teams like the Mysore Lancers, the Gwalior Lancers, the Jodhpur/Kachhawa Horses and the Patiala Lancers.

The royal connection remains strong. A few years ago, so the legend goes, Maharani Gayatri Devi arrived at the Jaipur polo grounds, only to find the 61st losing. She rushed her chauffeur back to fetch her red-and-yellow sari, the colours of the 61st. She draped the sari over her trousers, and sure enough, the team started winning soon afterwards.

Injuries too were part and parcel of the game. Col Thakur Govindsingh lost an eye when hit by Billy Sodhi’s mallet.

Lesser injuries, though, never got much importance. ‘‘Once Col KS Garcha and Narinder Singh of the Army Service Corps crashed headlong into each other. It was hilarious to see them gingerly feeling their bones for fractures and simultaneously groping for their turbans,’’ guffaws Col Brar.

High spirits, old memories and fast friends. The 50th is already here for the 61st.