Traditional games of South Asia

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A tackle occurring in kabaddi, South Asia's most professionally played traditional game. Game-asia-kabadi.jpg
A tackle occurring in kabaddi, South Asia's most professionally played traditional game.

South Asia has many traditional games and sports. [1] Two of them, kabaddi and kho-kho, are played at the South Asian Games, with kabaddi also featuring at the Asian Games. [2] Many of these games are played across the entire subcontinent under different names and with some rule variations, while some of these games may be played only in certain countries or regions.

Contents

History

Ancient era

Some traditional South Asian games, such as kabaddi, kho-kho, and atya-patya, are believed to be thousands of years old, finding mention in historical scriptures [3] and dating back to ancient India. [4] [5] [6] Kho-kho, for example, dates back to at least the fourth century BC. [7] Many South Asian games likely reflect characteristics of traditional life in the subcontinent; for example, the Bengali hopscotch game of ekka-dokka (related to Stapoo and Chindro) may reflect the concepts of land division and ownership of property in ancient times. [8]

Modern era

India vs Iran at the 2023 Asian Kho Kho Championship. Kho kho is South Asia's second-most popular tag game. Glipmse of India vs Iran Match during 4th Asian Kho Kho Championship.jpg
India vs Iran at the 2023 Asian Kho Kho Championship. Kho kho is South Asia's second-most popular tag game.

After the British colonisation of the subcontinent which peaked from the 19th century to 1947, Western sports such as cricket, football, and hockey began to be followed to a greater extent, to the detriment of the traditional games. [9] [10] The modern advent of urbanisation, [11] globalisation (which attracted people towards more globally popular games), [12] and technology (which gave people digital forms of entertainment such as the Internet, television, and video games) [13] have further diminished the traditional South Asian sports. [14] Additional reasons include religious extremism in some areas, which has restricted people from playing certain games, and lack of governmental support. [15]

However, some professional leagues are now being started for certain traditional sports, such as the Pro Kabaddi League, Ultimate Kho Kho, and Pro Panja League, which are beginning to revive interest in these sports and even globalise them; [16] [17] these leagues are now some of the most-watched competitions in the subcontinent. [18]

Traditional games

Gillidanda

Gillidanda or gulli danda is a game where players attempt to hit a stick as far as possible to score points. It has similarities to the popular South Asian sport of cricket, as well as to traditional games around the world, such as tipcat. [19]

Chindro

The area in which Chindro is played. Chindro Playing Court.jpg
The area in which Chindro is played.
Chindro (also known as Stapoo or Kidi Kada) is a popular rural game of Indian Sub-Continent. The game is played with a stone that tossed and slid on a marked off playing court. It is similar to hopscotch.

Gutte

Gutte (similar to Meergati and Bilghotti in Pakistan) involves players throwing up and then grabbing stones on the ground, while ensuring none of the stones falls from the air to the ground. [20] [21] [22]

Dark room

Dark room is the same as hide-and-seek, except that it is played in an entirely dark room. [23] [24]

Donkey Donkey

Donkey Donkey (similar to the Pakistani Beech ki Billi) [25] is a game in which two players attempt to throw a ball to each other, while a player in the middle tries to catch it. [26]

Ball games

Maram pitti

Maram Pitti (similar to Pakistan's Maran Kuttai) [25] is similar to dodgeball. [27]

Seven stones

In the game of seven stones (known by several other names in various regions), one team throws a ball at a pile of stones and then attempts to rebuild the pile, while the other team tries to eliminate the first team's players by throwing the ball at them. [28] [29]

Variations of tag

Deciding who the denner is

In many South Asian variations of tag, the player meant to tag the other players is known as the "denner". [30] [31] There are various ways of selecting the denner, such as Saa Boo Three (also known as pugam pugai), in which a group of three players face one of their hands up or down, and if one of the players faces their hand the opposite way of the other two, then they are chosen as the denner. [32] [33]

Kabaddi

Kabaddi being played at the 2018 Asian Games Iran men's national kabaddi team 13970602000432636707284535394012 98208.jpg
Kabaddi being played at the 2018 Asian Games
Kabaddi ( /kəˈbædi/ , [34] /ˈkʌbədi/ ) [35] is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players, originating in ancient India. [36] The objective of the game is for a single player on offence, referred to as a "raider", to run into the opposing team's half of the court, touch out as many of their players as possible, and return to their own half of the court, all without being tackled by the defenders in 30 seconds. Points are scored for each player tagged by the raider, while the opposing team earns a point for stopping the raider. Players are taken out of the game if they are touched or tackled, but return to the game after each point scored by their team from a tag or tackle.

Kho-kho

Kho kho game in progress at a government school in Haryana, India Kho Kho game at a Government school in Haryana, India.jpg
Kho kho game in progress at a government school in Haryana, India
Kho kho is a traditional South Asian sport that dates to ancient India. [37] [38] It is the second-most popular traditional tag game in the Indian subcontinent after kabaddi. [39] Kho kho is played on a rectangular court with a central lane connecting two poles which are at either end of the court. During the game, nine players from the chasing team (attacking team) are on the field, with eight of them sitting (crouched) in the central lane, while three runners from the defending team run around the court and try to avoid being touched. [38] Each sitting player on the chasing team faces the opposite half of the field that their adjacent teammates are facing.

Freeze tag

Freeze tag (also known as Baraf Paani in North-India and Pakistan, and as Borof Paani in Bangladesh) involves players becoming "frozen" in place when tagged by an opponent, but becoming unfrozen when tagged by a teammate. [40] [41]

Atya-patya

1-BISHNUPUR.jpg
External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Maharashtra – 27th Senior National Championship, August 2012,, Tamil Nadu semi-final match in YouTube video
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Senior National Atya Patya Championship, Hyderabad 2012, final: Puducherry v/s Maharashtra, YouTube video
Atya patya (Hindi: आट्यापाट्या) is a traditional South Asian tag sport played by two sides of nine players. It is more popular in rural areas of India. It is more commonly played in Maharashtra, a western Indian state. [42] Atya patya is described as a "game of feints". [43] The playing area comprises nine trenches, coming out of either side of a central trench; a point is awarded to the attacking team's players for each trench they cross without being tagged out by the defensive players within the trenches. [44] The game ends after 4 innings (scoring turns) of 7 minutes each, with each team having two innings to score. It has been described as a game of "militant chase". [45] The sport is played in a relatively small area and requires no equipment, similar to other games indigenous to India such as kabaddi, seven stones, kho kho, gillidanda and langdi. [43]

Langdi

School kids play langdi during a inter-school competition Langadi.jpg
School kids play langdi during a inter-school competition
Langdi [lower-alpha 1] is a traditional South Asian field sport which combines elements of tag and hopscotch. [47] It was originally played during the Pandiyan Dynasty and called "Nondiyaattam" at that time. The teams alternate chasing (attacking) and defending roles in each of the 4 innings of the game, with the chasing team's players restricted to hopping around on one foot, and attempting to score points by tagging as many defenders as possible within the 9 minutes of each inning. It is described by Marathis as a sport with a Marathi ethos. [48]

Aankh micholi

Aankh micholi (similar to Bangladesh's Kanamachi) is a form of blindfolded tag. [20] [49]

Kokla chappaki

This game (similar to Rumal Chor and Bengal's Rumal Churi) is similar to duck, duck, goose. [50] [51] [52] [53]

Oonch Neech

Oonch Neech (or Oonch Neech ka Papada) is a rural and urban street children's game and variation of Tag game played in North India and Pakistan. Oonch Neech (Hindi) translates Up and Down in English.

Board games

Snakes and ladders

Snakes and ladders is a board game for two or more players regarded today as a worldwide classic. The game originated in ancient India as Moksha Patam, and was brought to the United Kingdom in the 1890s. It is played on a game board with numbered, gridded squares. A number of "ladders" and "snakes" are pictured on the board, each connecting two specific board squares. The object of the game is to navigate one's game piece, according to die rolls, from the start (bottom square) to the finish (top square), helped by climbing ladders but hindered by falling down snakes.

Another traditional game called Ludo, is mostly played at the same board on the other side. Four participants can play this game with the help of dice.

Carrom

Tibetans playing carrom in Delhi Tiibetans playing carrom in Delhi.jpg
Tibetans playing carrom in Delhi
Carrom is a tabletop game of Indian origin in which players flick discs, attempting to knock them to the corners of the board. In South Asia, many clubs and cafés hold regular tournaments. Carrom is commonly played by families, including children, and at social functions. Different standards and rules exist in different areas.

See also

Notes

  1. (Hindi: लंगड़ी) Also sometimes spelled Langadi. [46]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kabaddi</span> Contact team sport popular in South Asia

Kabaddi is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players, originating in ancient India. The objective of the game is for a single player on offence, referred to as a "raider", to run into the opposing team's half of the court, touch out as many of their players as possible, and return to their own half of the court, all without being tackled by the defenders in 30 seconds. Points are scored for each player tagged by the raider, while the opposing team earns a point for stopping the raider. Players are taken out of the game if they are touched or tackled, but return to the game after each point scored by their team from a tag or tackle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tag (game)</span> Game of chasing and catching other people

Tag is a playground game involving one or more players chasing other players in an attempt to "tag" and mark them out of play, typically by touching with a hand. There are many variations; most forms have no teams, scores, or equipment. Usually when a person is tagged, the tagger says, "It!" or "Tag, you're 'It'!" The last one tagged during tag is "It" for the next round. The game is known by other names in various parts of the world, including "running and catching" in India and "catch and cook" in the Middle East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Street game</span> Sport or game that is played on city streets

A street game or street sport is a sport or game that is played on city streets rather than a prepared field. Street games are usually simply play time activities for children in the most convenient venue. Some street games have risen to the level of organized tournaments, such as stickball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kho kho</span> Traditional Indian tag game played in teams

Kho kho is a traditional South Asian sport that dates to ancient India. It is the second-most popular traditional tag game in the Indian subcontinent after kabaddi. Kho kho is played on a rectangular court with a central lane connecting two poles which are at either end of the court. During the game, nine players from the chasing team are on the field, with eight of them sitting (crouched) in the central lane, while three runners from the defending team run around the court and try to avoid being touched. Each sitting player on the chasing team faces the opposite half of the field that their adjacent teammates are facing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Asia</span> Overview of sport in Asia

Association football and basketball are the most popular sports in Asia. Cricket is the third most popular sport in Asia, and is most popular in South Asia. Other popular sports in Asia include baseball, badminton and table tennis among others. There are also some traditional sports that are popular in certain regions of Asia, such as the South Asian sports kabaddi and kho-kho, and sepak takraw in Southeast Asia. Top sporting nations/regions in Asia include China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in India</span>

India has a history of sports dating back to the Vedic period. Cricket is the most popular spectator sport; it generates the highest television viewership, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) being the most-followed league in the country. Football has also gained popularity, with the Indian Super League (ISL) being the highest level of domestic football, and the national team winning multiple gold medals at the Asian and South Asian Games. Additional football accomplishments include India having reached the Groupstage of the 1960 Olympics, qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup, and won the SAFF Championship. Other sports include kabaddi, badminton, tennis, and athletics, with kho-kho becoming the fourth-most viewed sport. India has also had success in field hockey, winning the World Cup and multiple medals in the Olympic Games. Sports such as golf, rugby, boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, motorsport, wrestling, and basketball are featured throughout the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seven stones</span> South Asian dodgeball variant

Seven stones is a traditional game from the Indian subcontinent involving a ball and a pile of flat stones, generally played between two teams in a large outdoor area.

Oonch Neech is a rural and urban street children's game and variation of Tag game played in North India and Pakistan. Oonch Neech (Hindi) translates Up and Down in English.

Traditional games of Andhra Pradesh, like many other traditional games played in India, involve games which are played mostly by children. These games may also be enjoyed by other people of any age, as it reminds them of their childhood. Despite the advent of computers and technology, with children preferring to spend their times indoors, these games are still very popular in the Andhra Pradesh. They are also played in great and small towns all over India and Pakistan, especially in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, as well as Cambodia and Italy..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kabaddi in India</span> Contact sport, native to the Indian subcontinent

Kabaddi, is a contact sport, native to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the most popular sports in India, played mainly among people in villages. India has taken part in four Asian Games in kabaddi, and won gold in all of them. Four forms of kabaddi played in India are Amar, Suranjeevi, huttuttoo, and Gaminee. Amar is generally played in Punjab, Haryana, the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world, mostly by Punjabi sportsmen. Suranjeevi is the most played form of kabaddi in India and the world. This is the form used in international matches generally and played in Asian Games. Huttuttoo was played by men in Maharashtra. In Gaminee style, seven players play on each side and a player put out has to remain out until all his team members are out. The team that is successful in outing all the players of the opponent's side secures a point. The game continues until five or seven such points are secured and has no fixed time duration.

Many sports are played by the people of Tamil Nadu including both traditional sports and sports from other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atya patya</span> Traditional Indian tag sport

Atya patya is a traditional South Asian tag sport played by two sides of nine players. It is more popular in rural areas of India. It is more commonly played in Maharashtra, a western Indian state. Atya patya is described as a "game of feints". The playing area comprises nine trenches, coming out of either side of a central trench; a point is awarded to the attacking team's players for each trench they cross without being tagged out by the defensive players within the trenches. The game ends after 4 innings of 7 minutes each, with each team having two innings to score. It has been described as a game of "militant chase". The sport is played in a relatively small area and requires no equipment, similar to other games indigenous to India such as kabaddi, seven stones, kho kho, gillidanda and langdi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Langdi (sport)</span> Traditional Indian tag sport

Langdi is a traditional South Asian field sport which combines elements of tag and hopscotch. It was originally played during the Pandiyan Dynasty and called "Nondiyaattam" at that time. The teams alternate chasing (attacking) and defending roles in each of the 4 innings of the game, with the chasing team's players restricted to hopping around on one foot, and attempting to score points by tagging as many defenders as possible within the 9 minutes of each inning. It is described by Marathis as a sport with a Marathi ethos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of South Asia</span>

The culture of South Asia, also known as Desi culture, is a mixture of several cultures in and around the Indian subcontinent. Ancient South Asian culture was primarily based in Hinduism, which itself formed as a mixture of Vedic religion and indigenous traditions, and later Buddhist influences. From the medieval era onwards, influences from the Muslim world and then Europe also became prevalent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punjabi kabaddi</span> Indian sport

Punjabi kabaddi, also called circle style kabaddi, is a contact sport that originated in the Punjab region, in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. There are a number of traditional Punjabi kabaddi styles traditionally played in the Punjab region. Similar to Standard kabaddi, circle style kabaddi is also played at state and international levels, through various governing bodies such as Kabaddi World Cup.

Playing period is a division of time in a sports or games, in which play occurs. Many games are divided into a fixed number of periods, which may be named for the number of divisions. Other games use terminology independent of the total number of divisions. A playing period may have a fixed length of game time or be bound by other rules of the game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bengali traditional games</span>

Bengali traditional games are traditional games that are played in rural parts of the historical region of Bengal. These games are typically played outside with limited resources. Many games have similarities to other traditional South Asian games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traditional games of India</span> Pre-colonial sports heritage of India

India has several traditional games and sports, some of which have been played for thousands of years. Their popularity has greatly declined in the modern era, with Western sports having overtaken them during the British Raj, and the Indian government now making some efforts to revive them. Many of these games do not require much equipment or playing space. Some of them are only played in certain regions of India, or may be known by different names and played under different rules and regulations in different regions of the country. Many Indian games are also similar to other traditional South Asian games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traditional games of Pakistan</span>

Pakistan has many traditional games played in the rural and urban areas of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in South Asia</span>

Many sports are played in South Asia, with cricket being the most popular of them; 90% of the sport's worldwide fans live in South Asia. Football is followed passionately in some parts of South Asia, such as Kerala and Bengal. Field hockey was popular for several decades, with some of South Asia's greatest sporting accomplishments having taken place in this sport. Some native South Asian games are played professionally in the region, such as kabaddi and kho-kho, and also feature in regional competitions such as the South Asian Games and Asian Games.

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