JAGATSINGHPUR: On the verge of extinction, traditional indoor games have staged a comeback in rural households, thanks to the coronavirus lockdown. The restrictions imposed by the administration has rekindled the interest of rural folks in indoor games like ludo, chess, cowrie (shell), cards and carom which had faded into oblivion following the advent of modern gadgets. These traditional games have now become a saving grace of people stuck at homes and an important part of their daily routine .
Sixty-year-old Puspamanjari Behera of Patana village in Jagatsinghpur block said traditional indoor games have reclaimed their place in almost every household since the lockdown period began three days back. “Cards, carom and ludo games have once again become an indispensable part of our lives. In order to kill time, people have gone back to these games,” she said. Apart from the elderly, adults and children have also taken refuge in these games to escape boredom that has crept into life as they are forced to stay in home isolation due to the lockdown.
“As the market places have been closed, the daily get-together of our friends is not possible anymore. I have started playing card and ludo games with family members to while away the time at home,” said Debendra Singh of Basantpur village in Biridi block. Among the children, the chess game has become a hit. “Though the schools are closed, we are unable to go out and play with our friends. To make it up, I am spending my leisure time playing chess with my cousins and neighbours. Many children have also taken a liking to carom and ludo,” said 10-year-old Kanha Chandua of Titira village in Balikuda block. Kanha is a student of a p r i v a t e s c h o o l i n Bhubaneswar.
Puspamanjari said beside the games, many women are keeping themselves engaged in reading religious books like ‘Bhagbad Gita’, ‘Ramayan’ , ‘Mahabharat’. “Womenfolk are spending their evenings in ‘Bhagbad Gita’ recitals and praying God to deliver us from this period of crisis,” she said. While adults have adjusted to the new way of life and realise the threat of coronavirus, the children are a bit dejected for not being able to mingle with their friends due to the lockdown, Debendra added.