"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
6 Apr 2017
India is known for its diverse culture and tradition. Some games which are a significant part of our culture are losing its charm as children nowadays prefer to spend their time playing games on their mobile or tabs. Let us revive some old, but popular games that fill our minds with pleasant memories.
Satoliya:
This game is also called Pithoo or Lagoori in some parts of India. In this game seven stones are arranged, one on top of another. The attacking team knocks off the pile of stones with a ball and the defending team will try to rearrange the stones while the other team tries to get the players out by hitting on their leg with the ball.
Gutte:
This traditional game which children and adults enjoy playing, requires five small stones and can be played with any number of players. The player is required to spin one stone into the air and before it falls back to the ground, he/she will have to pick all other stones from the ground.
Kancha:
Kancha was one of the most popular games. Kancha refers to marbles.The players have to hit a selected target 'kancha' using their own marble. One who thus collects all kanchas of the rest of the players is the winner.
Kho-Kho:
Kho Kho is played even today in many schools of India. It consists of two teams. One team sits or kneels in the court in a row, with adjacent members facing opposite directions. The team that tags all the opponents in the field in the shortest time is the winner.
Gilli Danda:
This game comprises of two sticks, the biggest one is called 'Danda' while the smaller one is called 'gilli'. The player hits the gilli with the danda and before the opponent retrieves it, the player is required to run and touch a pre agreed point.
Kith Kith:
This is a much loved game in which each child by turn hops into and over squares marked on the ground to retrieve a marker thrown in one of these squares. This game is popular in other countries also. It is also called 'Hopscotch'
These are some of the traditional Indian games which needs to be revived as children seem to be hooked to their mobiles to play games. Apart from increasing one's mental agility and physical stamina, we also derive immense joy from playing these games.