KOCHI: Nadan Panthu Kali, or native ball game originated in Kottayam over a 100 years ago. In the 1950s and 60s a lot of tournaments were held but the game became popular with the formation of the All-Kerala Native Ball Federation in 2012. Though the game is more popular in Kottayam district, it is also played in Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. Age is no bar and even those up to 54 years can play the game. It is usually played during Onam.
“The game, similar to cricket, has two teams having seven players each. It is played barefoot on a 35m by 75m court. On one end, a space spanning 35m in length and 7m in width is demarcated. This is known as the vettukalam. The ball is made of salt-dried leather,” explains Sanil P Thomas, a sports writer from Kottayam.
It has six innings (known as vara): ‘Otta’ is throwing the ball and striking it using the same hand, ‘petta’ is striking the ball after throwing it with the other hand, ‘pidiyan’ will be to strike the ball by keeping one hand behind one’s back, ‘thalam’ is hitting the ball after rhythmically patting the thigh, ‘keezhu’ is where you lift the leg a little and then throw the ball from underneath.
The player has to hit the ball., and finally, there’s ‘indan’, where the ball is thrown in the air and the player has to kick with his feet before it touches the ground.
“A player from one team goes to the strike pad and attempts the first vara, that is otta. If he is unable to strike the ball, the opposing team gets the strike. A player gets three strikes in each vara. After 18 strikes, a team attains a ‘chakkara’. Once the team attains a ‘chakkara’ they can start again right from otta,” says Thomas.
“Each strike wins the team a point. The points accumulate as the team finishes each of the six innings again and again. The team which acquires the maximum points wins the game.”
You get out of the game only if you fail to strike the ball in an inning. “Then the second player comes to the pitch and it goes on until all the players are out,” adds Thomas. “Once the players of one team finish their play, the opposing team goes to the pitch one by one. The game is over when both teams play all the six innings.”
A player is declared out if the ball he strikes falls within the line demarcating the strike pad, or if the ball is caught by the player of the opposing team. “The player also becomes out if he steps on the line separating the strike pad while striking the ball. The same applies if the ball goes over him, or if he fails to strike it with his feet,” he points out. “Also a player can keep a ball in his hand for 30 seconds while inside the strike area.”