Platinum Memories of classic childhood Games...

Let's Dive  into  the memory lanes of the games, we enjoyed to play as kids. i observed lately that these Indian classic games are losing their significance as we are adopting the western culture in the name of technology.

Gen Y's time is now spent couched in front of TV, play stations, Xbox, probably surfing d net, social networking with their classmates and zero physical activity involved. Running back from school and joining friends to play a game of lagori or winning the most number of goti’s from other street kids is what our parents are often caught ranting about, and how the present generation is not as lucky as they were back in school. Sadly kid's dont hv spare time for all these actvts,  In their favor, most of the vacant spots are also taken up by buildings, malls or parks.

Let us read about and try to identify, how many of these games are still around us. Some of these are almost extinct games.

Gilli –Danda

Playing cricket or baseball with sticks instead of bat or ball is exactly what Gilli Danda is all about.  This sport is generally played in the rural and small towns of India. The game is played with a gilli and danda, which are both wooden sticks. The danda is longer (suitably handmade by the player) which one can swing easily. The gilli is smaller and is tapered on both sides. There is no standard length defined for the danda or gilli. Usually, however, the gilli is 3 to 6 inches long. This is a very popular game among boys in villages of India. It is similar to the most popular game cricket .The game replaces the cricket ball by gilli. The objective of the sport is to use the danda (used like a baseball bat) to strike the gilli (similar to striking a ball in the game cricket) and flew it in the ground.

Satoliya : Lagori: Two teams, seven stones, a ball and target of hawks eye are the elements to success in this game.

This game is loved by the maximum number boys and girls; it is a funny simple and inexpensive game. It needs seven small flat stones; every stone size should be less than the other stone. Put these stones over another in decreasing order its looks like a small tower then hit it by cloths made hand ball form a fixed distance. Any number of people can play it. 

Kancha (Goti) : marbles

Once famous as a Gully sport, kancha was favorite of many young boys in town and villages nearby. It has its own modus operandi; it is played using marbles called ‘Kancha’. The players are to hit the selected target ‘kancha’ using their own marble ball. The winner takes all Kanchas of rest of the players.

Hopscotch : 

Draw a hopscotch design on the ground. design with 7 or 9 squares. Chalk is the best drawing medium on asphalt, patio stones or concrete. Throw a flat stone or similar object (small beanbag, shell, button, plastic toy) to land on square one. Hop through the squares, skipping the one you have your marker on. Similarly complete all squares.

Carrom : 

A famous dialogue in a Hindi movie says “Carrom ramvanu, juice pivanu, majja nee life” means it is a jolly game. But a sport has to stand on its own feet. Carrom was a popular indoor game few years back. Its a game of geometry, concentration and hand skill.

Pakada  pakdi, Chupa-chupi ( hide & seek ),  langdi, chain,  chalak chalanu,, color-color, river or mountain, snakes n ladder, ludo, buissiness, chess

I guess, many of the terms or name of the game that I use may not be the same in other parts of India but more or less, I am sure that all our readers can relate to them one way or the other.

Traditional Games were not just games, they were designed in such a way that one can develop lot of skills like logical thinking, building strategy, concentration, basic mathematics, aiming, and lot more. Nowadays we develop these skills by paying money to centers that conduct personal development courses.

In any season, in open spaces or crowded city, slums, streets, children jump, run, hide, chase each other, play, sing and laugh, and this illustrates the universality of games. By means of games, the child is engaged not only in self-discovery, explorative and experiments with its senses, but also understands its relation with the concept of Universe. They gradually learn to get along with the big world outside. Games reflect the ideas and the personality of the child as a whole. Children get many benefits by means of games. There is an opportunity for the growth of the mind. There is a way to use the senses in the right way. One gets the opportunity to mingle with people of the same age, of the same cadre and same ambitions and desires. This helps in developing a social sense and the habit of working cooperatively.

Even we used to enjoy many indoor games with parents as well, as TV was not a common product in all d houses. We were blessed that way.

I really feel pity for todays Kids. They dunno what fun they r missing. All due to techno era, education system nd a lot of career oriented Competitions. 

I am sure after reading this; many of you would have gone down to those memory lanes and recalled those beautiful moments again.