6 minute read
Traditional Games of India: Games of Alignment
from June 2021
By Vinita Sidhartha
India has a rich culture of traditional games. From the well-known and popular dice game described in the Mahabharatha to the numerous mythological stories of the games played by Shiva and Parvathi to the marble courts of Chaupad in Fatehpur Sikri built by Emperor Akbar where colourfully dressed women from his harem moved around instead of game pieces, we have grown up hearing about traditional games being played.
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Thanks to the stories, many believe that the traditional games of India are limited to dice and chess. But that is not the case.
Dahdi at Agatheeswarar Temple, Chennai, India
In the homes of the common folk, games were traditionally played by families with all generations coming together around a board drawn on the floor with chalk or even etched into the floor. In the year 1793, Harikrishna, son of Venkatram, born in Aurangabad in South Maharashtra, concluded his book Kreedakausalyam in which he describes the famous games of his time. He says, and I paraphrase:
I hereby describe the organisation, structure and rules of this ancient shastra, the reason being that …. scholars do not study them. In this book there is a description of several board games; the intention of this shastra being that people will enhance their brain power by studying them.
Almost 250 years later, we are still trying to document and popularise our traditional games. Among them, perhaps the widest range of games are classified as games of alignment. Games of alignment are, in simplest terms, three-in-a-row games. Maybe every one of us has played the game of Tic Tac Toe or Noughts and Crosses on the back of our school books.
That is perhaps the most simplistic of three-ina-row games. In that game, Xs and 0s were marked on a grid alternately by players. A skilful player could achieve the objective with ease. Two talented players would often end in a draw. To equate this game to the complexity and variety of games of alignment in our country is to equate book cricket to a one day international.
Teen Goti or Kattam Vilayattu
These games of alignment start simply enough with names such as teen goti or Kattam vilayattu – simply known as three gotis (game pieces) or the square game. There are two versions of this game – while one version allows you to move along the diagonals, the other does not.
What makes it different from noughts and crosses is that after the placement of three pieces on the board by each player, they can move their pieces. The game continues until there is a result. The game is meant to be fast paced, forcing players to think quickly and avoid error under pressure. Every game is rooted in philosophy, and the wide variety of games of alignment have many lessons to teach us. These games, in particular, test our ability to perform under pressure. In life, there are times when the need of the hour is quick decision making. The ability to analyse a situation at a glance, think quickly and react effectively.
Char Goti
An exciting and unusual twist to the games of alignment is this game which requires the player to get four (char) game pieces in a row. This unusual twist makes for an exciting and nail biting game of strategy, with each player trying to outwit the other.
The strategy for this game is critical because there are two distinct stages – a proactive stage and a reactive stage. While the game pieces are being laid out, each player places them proactively based on his inner-thinking and strategy. But once the players start moving pieces, the thinking has to change. The moves of the players will be and have to be influenced by the moves of the opponent. This ability to adapt and respond to the environment and the actions of others while still working toward the original goal is a critical aspect of life.
Nav Goti or Dhadi
The game of Dahdi or Nav Goti (nine game pieces) is perhaps the most complex of all games of alignment. Interestingly this game is played in many parts of Europe and is popularly known as Nine Men's Morris.
In fact, many of the games we believe are traditional to India often have parallels or similarities with games played elsewhere in the world. Did they develop simultaneously in different parts of the world? That might sound fantastic to some, but if we pause to think, it could well be possible.
Take a black and white checked floor and allow a child to play. In a short while, the child, no matter where in the world, will come up with games that include hopping or jumping from one square to another. Games are a response to human thought, philosophy and the environment. As some of these are so elemental, it is likely that this creative response could be similar in different parts of the world.
Four in a row game at Kapaleeswarar Temple, Chennai, India.
Did the games get exchanged along trade routes?
Travel in traditional times was not the one-day affair it is today. It took months, even years, to travel across countries. Families went along and interacted with the locals, probably passing the time by playing together. We will never know for sure, but the fact remains that similar games are found across the world.
The game of Dahdi is a two player game with nine-game pieces each. The game's objective is to create a series of “dahdis” or three-game pieces in a row and remove one game piece of the opponent each time. This coming together of three game pieces repetitively to defeat the opponent is symbolic of synergies required to overcome any obstacle.
A timeless sight of players bonding over a game.
Games of alignment offered by Kreeda - Vinita's passion project. Learn more at https://www.kreedagames.com/
Synergy is a part of our everyday life, and the synergy of people, ideas and efforts can make a difference. Life is a series of challenges and journeys, each requiring a constant interface with our environment. And with every obstacle we face and every journey, we undertake we need the support of people, the synergy of ideas and the alignment of efforts. The alignment of game pieces is the alignment of resources – the synergies we achieve that determine the outcome. There are no dice in this game - so there is no element of chance. The decision is ours. The synergies or alliances are ours to create and the results ours to accept.
Our temples and monuments today carry etchings of traditional games that have survived the passage of time - games that were once played by peasants and artisans and ordinary folk – people like you and me. These were not the games of kings and princes but those of people facing the ups and downs of everyday life much like we do today.
In these games, we find an echo of sentiments we can relate to, and in preserving these games, we not only preserve our cultural heritage but also understand the very essence of the human psyche.
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