INDIGENOUS GAMES

INDIGENOUS GAMES. Amit Kumar Singh TGT(P&HE) KV PANAGARH.

Indigenous games are recreational activities that originated from a particular cultural group, community or people. These games are different from your mainstream sports, which are regulated by international federations, and have fixed rules. Conversely, indigenous games do not have internationally regulated rules for implementation; local organisers determine these according to the customs of the local participants. This creates many different versions of the same game. Indigenous games are a very important part of a people’s heritage and culture. They preserve age- old traditions and stories of the people group. Indigenous games have an origin, which is the story behind the invention of the particular activity or game. When participating in indigenous games, one can begin to understand the social construct of a particular culture and history of the people who invented and continue to invent and participate in indigenous games ..

Meaning : naturally existing in a place or country rather than arriving from another place: Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native. Indigenous people or things belong to the country in which they are found, rather than coming there or being brought there from another country. Synonyms : Native, original, aboriginal, home-grown More Synonyms indigenous. existing, growing, or produced naturally in a region or country; belonging as a native innate; inherent; inborn NATIVE, INDIGENOUS, ENDEMIC, ABORIGINAL mean belonging to locality. NATIVE implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it. native tribal customs INDIGENOUS applies to that which is not only native but which, as far as can be determined, has never been introduced or brought from elsewhere..

CHAUPAR/PACHISI Pachisi, a board game, was quite popular in ancient India. The game finds its mention in the Mahabharata. Akbar and his descendants also played this game. It involves two to four players who strategies their pawn’s moves on a piece of cloth designed in the shape of a symmetrical cross to win the game. Chaupar is also a board game which was invented around the 4th century. It includes two to four players who use shells and wooden pawns to plan their man oeuvres and win the game. The contemporary version of Pachisi/ Chaupar is Ludo which you might have played in your childhood..

2. GILLI DANDA. Gilli Danda is an older version of modern-day baseball and cricket. Its fame once matched that of cricket in India. All it requires is two unevenly sized sticks. The smaller stick is called the Gilli and the longer one which is used to strike the Gilli is called the Danda . The objective is to flip the Gilli into the air with the Danda . While the Gilli is in the air, the player must hit it with the Danda as far as possible. The player also needs to run to touch a pre-decided point before the opponent can lay his hands on the Gilli . It can be played by many people at the same time.

Traditional-games-of-India-Lattoo. 3.LATTOO Spinning top or Lattoo is a popular game in Indian villages even today. This simple game has been in existence since 3500 BC. At the beginning, tops were made of clay. Later, wooden tops began to be used. Today, coloured and designer tops are also available. There is a string which helps to spin the top and also to lift up the spinning Lattoo . Two or more players can play this game. All the players wrap their tops with the string and then unwind it by pulling the string, making the top rotate on the ground. The players need to pick the top with the string as fast as they can. The player whose top spins the longest is declared the winner..

4. SATOLIYA/PITHOO/LAGORI Gutte is a fun game can be played by both adults and kids. It generally requires five pebbles or small stones. There is no limit on the number of players who can play this game at a given time. The player needs to spin a stone up in the air and gather the remaining stones lying on the floor with one hand without allowing the one in the air to fall to the ground. Next, the player has to throw two stones up in the air and collect the rest and so on. The player who finishes eight steps in the minimum number of tries is the winner.4’.

One of the exciting childhood games played in India was Kancha . Other names of the game include Golli, Marbles, Goti , and Lakhoti . It began during the Harappan age. The game involves the use of round glass marbles or kanchas . Several people can participate in this game. The objective is to collect the maximum number of marbles by striking the chosen kancha with another one. The winner gets to take home all the marbles of the other players..

6. KABADDI Kabaddi is a team sport which requires no equipment, only agility and strength. It originated in India and is now played globally. Kabaddi in Hindi means holding the breath. Players form two teams with 7 to 12 members each. Players of one team have to break-in the opposing team’s area. While doing so, they need to try and touch as many opposing players as they can. The ‘touched’ players are declared out. The team with the least number of players at the end of the game is declared the winner..

7. PALLANKUZHI It is one of the famous games which was played in ancient South India. Pallankuzhi is believed to have originated in Tamil Nadu and later spread to other places like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and even Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Variations of the game are called Kuzhipara in Malayalam, Ali Guli Mane in Kannada and Vamana Guntalu in Telugu. The game includes a rectangular board, divided into two horizontal rows and seven vertical columns. Thus, there are 14 cups on the board and 146 counters. Usually, cowry shells or tamarind seeds function as counters. Two people can play this game at a time ..

8 . KHO KHO Kho Kho is a team game which started in India. It gained popularity in 1935 when its rules were brought out by the Akhil Maharashtra Shareerika Shikshan Mandal. It comprises of two teams with nine participants each. Members of the chasing team sit on the ground in a straight row with alternative players positioned in opposite directions. The chasers have to catch the opposing team members before the stipulated time is over. Kho Kho is particularly popular in schools. The first team sits in alternating directions while the other team runs around them. The aim is for the sitting team to catch as many from the running team. But it’s a sport that requires strategy and presence of mind. A player from the team sitting starts the game and touches his teammate to continue the chase..

9.HIDE AND SEEK/CHHUPAM CHHUPAI The origin of this game is unknown. It is commonly played all over the world under different names. The players hide in a previously decided marked area. The ‘ denner ’ has to shut his eyes and announce numbers loudly while the other players get time to hide. Then, the denner has to find the hidden players. Any number of people can play this game..

https://youtu.be/LGTVHHIACFo. https://youtu.be/9G0SU6BjZhA.

10.NONDI/HOPSCOTCH. This hopping game, also called Stapoo , is a popular outdoor game. In Tamil Nadu, it goes by the name Nondi . The game involves drawing a grid on the ground and numbering it. Players take turns and throw an object, usually a small stone, onto the numbered blocks. They have to hop across the blocks to pick up the object jumping on one/two legs to finish the lap, taking care not to step on the border lines. It is a group game..

Thank you.