THE PEOPLE

GAMES

In atyapatya or lonpat, two equal sides are formed and a large oblong is marked out on the ground, perhaps by water being poured on the dry dust or sand. An additional line is made lengthways along the middle of the oblong and cross-lines are also drawn. There must be, including the lines at the end of the oblong, exactly as many of these cross-lines as there are players on a side. The main idea is for the attacking party to try to run the length of the oblong without being touched, while the defending party tries to touch everyone of them Each of the defenders is placed on one of the cross-lines, his position being determined by the captain in such a way that the whole party may offer the best defence possible. All the attackers gather outside one end of the oblong. Their captain and the leader of the defenders who is called mridangya, touch hands and the raid begins. The attackers are safe when between the cross lines and as each of these has only one boy player to watch it, there is a large chance in favour of most of them getting across any single line in safety but as the attackers get fewer and more scattered, their difficulties increase. Those that get through the oblong safely in one direction should then return. The chances of the parties clearly vary greatly according to the size of the ground marked out and their own organisation which is generally very slight.

For kho-kho two sides are formed and all the boys of one side, except a single member squat down in a row on the ground and even numbers facing one way and odd numbers the other. The other side runs around these and the single boy who is standing up tries to overtake and touch them, any one caught in this way having to fall out. When this pursuer is tired he changes place with one of the boys who are sitting down, saying from behind him kho kho, and the second boy takes up the chase. Sooner or later the whole side is caught when it becomes the pursuers in turn.

In chilipat or chilpat (Hututu) two sides are formed and stand opposite each other at a little more than arm's length. The game begins by representatives of each side striking hands with each other. Then the one party remaining still, tries to pull soma one from the other across a line, real or imaginary, drawn between them. The sign that the opponent is captured-mela, dead-is that after being dragged across his leg is touched by one of the other side. When the last boy has thus been captured, the sides change places.

Vitidandu is a game played with a long stick, dandu and a short one, viti, between two equal parties. A small narrow trench is dug and the viti is placed across it. The striking party gather around it and the other party stand at a little distance. One boy places the end of the dandu under the viti and jerks the latter as far as he can. If it is caught by the other side, he is 'dead' and another of his party takes his place. If it is not caught he sets the dandu upright in the trench and the other side throw the viti at it, killing him if they hit. If they miss, he balances the viti on the hand in which he holds the dandu, jerks it up into the air, and hits it as far as he can. If it is not caught, it must be again thrown in and this time, it is only necessary that it should lie within a dandu's length of the trench. If it is further off than this, the next step depends upon the exact distance between, if this is less than two lengths of the dandu it is called vakat and the boy balances the viti on his instep and kicks it up in order to strike it again. If the distance exceeds two dandus but is less then three, it is called lend and the viii is taken by the end with the fingers of the left hand and struck thence. If another dandu's length is measured out, the distance is called mund and the viti is balanced across the left fist and must be struck near the projecting end. Another dandu makes a nal when the uiti must be placed across the base of the extended first and fourth finger of the left hand; and avid sets it across the left elbow or between the thumb and forearm, the aru across the right eye and then the tekya or jhaku cornes in which the via is again laid against the dandu on the right fist. The various terms correspond with the cardinal numbers in the Kannada language, an indication of the origin of the game.

In the towns and the various secondary schools and colleges cricket and football, hockey and tennis have made much headway. There are clubs and gymnasia where physical exercise and games like badminton are being played by those who have come under western influence. Chess and ganjipha and playing cards are also played indoors and in clubs.

TOP