CHENNAI: Count the numbers on your boxes. There are ten in total. You hop with one leg on single boxes and with both legs on boxes 4-5 and 7-8 that are placed next to each other,” Sindhu Raghu guides her five-year-old daughter Akshara, who’s learning to play nondi or pandi (hopscotch), in their cosy garden. Meanwhile, her husband Raghu Kumar is teaching their nine-year-old son Dinesh to fly a kite on their home terrace.
Ever since the coronavirus-induced lockdown was imposed in March, this family of four has been exploring various hitherto forgotten outdoor games and traditional board games. While many of us were scouring apps to play ludo, Monopoly and the likes, the Kumars played dhaya kattai (ludo), paramapatham (snake and ladder), bambaram (spin top), aadu puli aatam (goat and lion game), pallanguzhi (bean hole), goli (marbles) in real-time.
“Both of us grew up in small towns, and settled in Chennai a decade ago. We had an active childhood. Playgrounds used to be our second home. We lived with our grandparents because we were a joint family. But we knew that city life would be different and our children would miss out on many simple pleasures that we had while growing up. We’re glad that we have been able to spend time and keep them entertained while passing on some knowledge during this lockdown,” says Raghu, an IT employee.
Joining this lockdown game evenings and nights is Visalakshi Ammal, an 82-year-old retired school teacher. “Girls mostly played indoor games such as thirudan police, raja rani, aaku paaku vethala paku, oru kudam thanni, and vidukathai. This is apart from the traditional games that were played regularly, like paramapatham, pallanguzhi or dhaya kattai. The boys played hide-and-seek, kho kho, odi pudichi vilayaduradhu, and pacha kudhira. Our pastime used to be innovating new games and our parents ensured we had playtime every day. I’ve been yearning to talk to my grandchildren about these and they finally got the time to sit and spend some time with me every day,” she narrates.
High demand
While it has always been a common sight to find children and the elders bonding over a traditional board game on the thinnais (porch) in the village houses, it would have possibly been aberrant behaviour in cities, especially in pre-corona times. But, the virus has made many city slickers return to their roots. Ask Vinita Siddhartha, founder of Kreeda Games, who has been receiving calls from patrons asking for suggestions. “Earlier, we never had the time to appreciate the legacy of board games.
Always remember, grandparents have been the storehouse of our nation’s culture. Pay attention to the things they share while playing. Record the moments and share them in the future. You may be surprised to discover plenty of new games,” says Vinita. TS Ashwin, founder of Odyssey, concurs. He’s seen an increase in sales of traditional Indian board games. “We have sold approximately 46 games in the last three months, which is about 100 per cent more than the normal sales. Games like paramapatham, pallanguzhi, etc., are popular choices. As these are mostly handmade and of good quality, they are priced higher than the regular board games. Else, the sales would have been much higher,” says Ashwin.
Nostalgia revisited
Just like the Kumars, Vignesh and his brother, too, unwind from their hectic schedules every day with a game or two of dhaya kattai or cards. “We feel proud that we are playing the original version of the Ludo app that was passed on to us by our ancestors. Nothing can match the touch-and-feel experience of dhayam and sozhi. Even if only four players are allowed to play, we would team up in twos to compete against each other. The key purpose is to strike the other player than even winning.
These games also come under vintage treasures but to our generation, it will be a classic. We need to preserve them,” shares Vignesh, a CA by profession. In an era where a new game is released every other week, many avid gamers, who have played both traditional and modern board games, agree that the former has a native vibe to it. “These games have bridged the gap between our grandparents and us by letting us involve them in our leisure activities.
These are games that people of any age can play under one roof. Our game sessions are laced with memories and interesting anecdotes from the past. What amuses me is that each family has a different method and a set of rules for playing board games,” shares Saai Meera, a business analyst. Distracting themselves from the worries of a virus-induced shutdown, Meera and her family have been playing dhaya kattai, paramampatham, narpadhu (40), and othaiya rettaiya (odd or even). “My mother made it a point to teach us traditional games when we were kids.
The earlier you are exposed to these games, the earlier you develop an interest. Otherwise, with a plethora of virtual reality games available, these hidden gems may lose its relevance,” she points out. For other parents like Ravishankar Pillai, the downtime has offered him a chance to connect with his daughter over a game of pambaram that he purchased at an exhibition before coronavirus played spoilsport. For someone holding a senior position in a pharmaceutical company, this has been a huge stress-buster from work.
“My five-year-old enjoys it when I spin the pambaram on our terrace. I go back to my childhood days where I played kabaddi, goli, ghilli, seven stones, and a range of board games in my hometown Madurai. Those were days when we learned more on-field than from textbooks,” he recollects. Vinayak Murthy, a father of two boys, shares a similar sentiment. For this software engineer, evenings are now dedicated to his kids, Aadhav and Arjun.
The trio has been flying kites, playing gilli danda and seven stones. “I was particular about outdoor games so that the kids stay active. On regular days, we would book a private ground and go to play football or cricket. But the age-old gully sports has given us a different pleasure. I shared my childhood stories with the kids and they were surprised to see me open up so much. As a family, we played a few indoor games, too. It was my duty to keep the boys entertained,” he shares.
Afternoons are a time to bond for Visalakshi and her grandchildren — 20-year-old Ashwini R and 17-year-old Raghu R. For every traditional game she teaches them, they teach her a new board game. “I have taught them dhaya kattai, aadu puli aatam, goli and paramapatham. They may appear to be easy but every move involves strategy, logic, and fun. The kids taught me to play snake and ladder on a Tab but it wasn’t convenient for me. We even played Uno and The Game of Life. While I have an edge over them in traditional games, they often trick me while playing the new ones. Sometimes, the whole family gets together to play raja rani and cards,” she shares.
Learn and play
Like in any modern sport, traditional games too impart skills that prepare you for life — observational skills, mathematical skills, logical thinking, and strategy-building. Nondi or pandi supplies you with resilience and confidence for accomplishing goals, dhaya kattai instils decision-making qualities, paramapatham teaches lessons in handling success and failure with equanimity, pallanguzhi provides planning for every step, and seven stones tutors on team spirit.
Mridula Sriram, mother of sixyear- old Narayani, is happy to see how the games have sharpened her daughter’s gross and fine motor skills. “She plays aadu puli aatam, snake and ladder, and three-in-a-row with her cousins. There’s silence when the kids play. They concentrate, plan their moves, and help each other,” she says. A few months into playing these traditional games, Mridula noticed that Narayani’s arms and legs have gained strength after playing pandi.
Hopping has taught her to balance on one leg. Likewise, moving the sozhi has sharpened her ability to grasp and move objects in a coordinated manner. Narayani is now more attentive and has a better hand- eye ordination. Even as the coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown has caused more harm than good, families are rolling the dice and praying to escape the menacing snake — bonding over one non-virtual game at a time.
BOARD, NOT BORED
Best Buys
Where to order?
Odyssey: odyssey.in
Kavade: kavade.org
Desi Toys: desitoys.in
Kreeda: kreedagames.com
Board Game Company: boardgamecompany.com
Ancient Living: ancientliving.in
Why traditional games?