Indian Traditional Board Games on Diwali

 

As per Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati used to love playing the game of dice. Hence, playing games on the Diwali night is considered auspicious. Board games not only enhance social skills but also sharpen motor skills and hand-eye coordination, boost self-esteem and encourage flexible thinking.

 

While different card games are usually at the top of the list of gatherings, board games are also not too far away. Games such as Monopoly, scrabble,  pachisi, ludo, chauka bara and chaduranga are some of the popular ones. Of course, other modern board games can also be added!

 

1.     Monopoly: 

While Monopoly is known to be a classic game for all ages,      is more of a luxurious version that suits adults more than children. A real estate game that can have up to eight players, the objective of the game is to acquire as many properties as possible, while forcing opponents into bankruptcy. It is the last player in the game who is declared the winner. At the beginning of the game, each player is given a fixed amount of money and the players have to move around the board by rolling a pair of dice. Each player is given $1500 in cash divided as follows: two each of $500's, $100's, and $50's; six $20's; five each of $10's, $5's, and $1's.  Each player who lands on an unowned property has the liberty to purchase the property but if the property is owned by someone else then rent needs to be paid. It is always important to have emergency cash with you at any given point in time while playing.  

2.     Scrabble:

 A game in which as many as four players can play, the game revolves around people being able to form words with lettered tiles on a 225-square board. These alphabets are spelled out by letters on the tiles which interlock like words in a crossword puzzle. It is important to remember that there can only be tiles on each rack. There are 98 tiles with letters of the alphabet corresponding to them and two blank tiles. Each of the letter tiles has score values indicated by the number at the bottom right of the letter. The two blank tiles have no score value and can be used as any letter desired. A New Zealand–Malaysian Scrabble player, Nigel Richards is considered to be the greatest tournament scrabble player of all time.  

3.     Pachisi:

A cross and circle board game, the game is played by four players – two of whom are partners. The partners sit right opposite each other -Yellow and Black play against Red and Green. The game is played on a cross-shaped board, requiring 6 cowrie shells (6 dice). The objective of the game is to move all four of their pieces around the board, counter clockwise; before their opponents do so. The pieces start and end on the charkoni – which is a  large square in the centre of the board game. When each player throws the cowries – the highest plays first and thereafter turns are taken in an anti-clockwise direction.     

4.     Ludo: 

A strategy board game, ludo is for two to four players and the players have to race their four tokens from start to finish as per the roll of the die. Combining luck and strategy, it is also very important to capture the pawns of the opponent and also not be caught by an opponent when you yourself are trying to reach the home in the middle with four pawns. Ludo was known to be the king of all games (during the pandemic). A winning move of one player can wipe off all the hard work of another in seconds, just by a good roll of the dice!   

5.     Chauka Bara (Race Game): 

      

      Also known as Ashta Chamma, this game which can be played by a maximum of 4 players is a very strategic game that is played on a 5x5 square board. Each of the four players has 4 pawns which start from different positions at the four crossed squares at the outermost ring. The players have to take turns to roll the kavade set (set of 6 cowrie shells). Based on the number the player gets, she moves a chosen pawn by that many blocks. Each player has a fixed path to move pawns, which is in an anti-clockwise direction. 

6.     Chaturanga: 

    

      An ancient Indian strategy board game, this game can be played between two/three or four players on an 8X8 grid. It is different from modern chess. It is more of a 4 player chess game. In chess while checkmate signals the end of the game, in Chaturanga a player may still have a chance to threaten their opponent’s king with a check and escape checkmate. Both chess and chaturanga depict a war between two armies. The game pieces represent one of the four divisions of the Indian army at that time.