KOCHI: Intehaa ho gai, intezaar ki/ Aai na kuchh khabar, mere yaar ki/ Ye hamen hain yakeen, bewafa woh nahin/ Phir wajah kya hui, intezaar ki
I used to sing this song in the office cab when leaving for home from office, waiting for other passengers to join. Other friends in the cab would soon pick up the last letter and sing. The fun continued — till we reached our respective drop points!
Yes, you guessed it right. Antakshari (derived from two Sanskrit words: antya meaning ‘end’ (adjective) and akshar meaning ‘letter of the alphabet’). The name evokes fond memories of the time when we used to get together and croon our favourite songs, right?
The game can be played either indoors or outdoors, in any kind of group setting. It begins with the recitation of the below couplet, which may vary across different regions:
Baithe, baithe, kya karein? Karna hain kuch kaam,Shuru karo Antakshari, leke rab ka naam!
In today’s fast-paced world, where smartphones and social media is ubiquitous, the game seems to be losing its charm with Gen Z. However, those of us born in the 80’s and earlier can vouch for the timeless memories of playing Antakshari. Can Antakshari make a ‘comeback’ in this era of Pokemon Go and Candy Crush Saga? Only time will tell.