Indian Games that Have Survived Through Centuries

Think entertainment and what comes to mind, especially if we talk of the bygone era? Apart from socializing, singing, dancing, celebrating festivals together, it is games that have always been a prime source of recreation. This leisure pursuit has not been restricted to kids only, but adults have also been engaging in games. Since time immemorial, games have been the favoured choice of royals as well as commoners.  Here we are presenting a list of primitive games that became modern.

Chess

Previously known as Ashtapada or sixty-four squares, it was played on an 8X8 checkered board using a dice. It has undergone a lot of changes to reach its present-day version. The game that originated in India later spread to Persia, Arabia, and Europe as well. The word ‘checkmate’ is derived from the Persian Shah-Mat, meaning ‘The King is Dead’!

Ludo

The famed caves of Ajanta have depictions of Ludo in the form of boards. Could you have imagined this? It found favour with the Mughal Emperors of India, particularly Akbar. Variants of Ludo made their presence felt in England in the late 1800’s. The variation which gained popularity around 1896 as Ludo was successfully patented. That is the story of ‘Pachisi’ or modern-day Ludo!

Cards

Let us enjoy ourselves with Krida-Patram. Bewildered? We are talking about cards. Mughals and royals played them as Ganjifa. Again, they too have witnessed a plethora of changes from originally hand-made cloth cards that seemed pieces of art to the present machine-made paper cards. Apart from the material and shape, playing cards took a giant leap of progress when they descended onto the online platform. Which card games have won the hearts of Indian denizens? Just guess, you might have also played some of them. Indian Rummy, Seep, and Teen Patti are the most common ones. How about playing Online Rummy?

Carrom Board

The ‘East’ is widely believed to be the birthplace of this ‘strike and pocket’ game. A brainchild of Indian Kings, people all across the Indian subcontinent love to play carrom. The game became quite popular among the masses after World War I. A glass-surfaced carrom board can be seen in a palace in Patiala, Punjab.

Snakes & Ladders

Do you also feel that today’s kids lack ethics? If yes, go back to the original Snakes and Ladders that was devised to instil moral values in children. Invented by the 13th century saint Gyandev, it went by different names such as Moksha Patam, Parama Padam, and Mokshapat. The ladders were meant for virtues and the snakes conveyed vices. The British took it to England in 1892, gave it the name ‘Snakes and Ladders’ and altered it as per Victorian values.

Dice

Some things and events leave their irrefutable footprints. You will be amazed to know that among the archaeological findings at specific Harrapan sites, oblong dice has also been found. That makes it quite obvious that Indians have been using dice for playing games. What’s more, it also features in the ancient scriptures of Rig Veda and Atharva Veda. It is believed to have made its way to Persia, hence influencing Persian board games.

Polo

Modern Polo is said to have its roots in India. Made popular by the Mughal Emperor Babur and then globalized by the English, Indian monarchs also loved to play Elephant Polo. Which sign of status do you like - horse or elephant?

Kho Kho

Originally known as Rathera, as raths or chariots were used to play it, the game has existed in Maharashtra for long. It is believed that Run Chase that involves chasing and touching a player, has evolved into the modern kho kho.

Kabaddi

This 4000-year-old contact sport was born in Tamil Nadu as a part of group hunting and village defence strategies. It has acquired different names at different places, for instance - Hututu in Maharashtra and Baibalaa in Maldives. A fusion of wrestling and rugby, this team sport requires players to have skill as also power. Now, it has become an international level game and India is the most successful team in the arena.

Rugby

Manipur boasts a centuries-old conventional game Yubi Lakpi. Played with a coconut, it means ‘coconut snatching’. The natives feel that their game has been stolen and converted into the modern global sport rugby. Barring one difference between the Manipuri game and rugby - the former is an individual sport while the latter is a team sport, both the games are essentially the same.  

Gilli Danda

It originated in India probably 2500 years ago and is believed to be the basis of modern games such as Cricket, Baseball, and Softball. Played in rural areas almost all over the country, it needs two sticks. The bigger one is called danda and the smaller one is gilli. Children simply love the game. 

Summary

It is not just the culture, customs, traditions, and art and architecture that have survived through the centuries, but several games have also made a smooth transition from one era to another to the present to be lapped up by the masses with great gusto - be it the rummy card game of skills or chess or kho kho.