Traditional games

Traditional games Indians are talented not only in literature, art, architecture but also in sports. There are many traditional games played in Tamil Nadu some of them are : Outdoor games: Kabbadi Jallikattu Uriyadi Gilli-danda Nondi Indoor games: Pallanguzhi Dhayam Let us know something interesting about these games…

Jallikattu Jallikattu is based on the concept of "flight or fight". The majority of jallikattu bulls belong to the pulikulam breed of cattle. These cattle are reared in huge herds numbering in hundreds with a few cowherds tending to them. It is from these herds that calves with competent characteristics and body conformation are selected and reared to become jallikattu bulls.

Kabbadi Types of Kabaddi Though Kabaddi is primarily an Indian game, not much is known about the origin of this game. There is, however, concrete evidence, that the game is 4,000 years old. It is a team sport, which requires both skill and power, and combines the characteristics of wrestling and rugby. It was originally meant to develop self defense, in addition to responses to attack, and reflexes of counter attack by individuals, and by groups or teams. It is a rather simple and inexpensive game, and neither requires a massive playing area, nor any expensive equipment. This explains the popularity of the game in rural India. Kabaddi is played all over Asia with minor variations Kabaddi is known by various names viz. Chedugudu or Hu-Tu-Tu in southern parts of India, Hadudu (Men) and Chu - Kit-Kit (women) in eastern India, and Kabaddi in northern India. The sport is also popular in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Japan and Pakistan. Types of Kabaddi In India, Kabaddi is recognised in three forms: Surjeevani Gaminee Amar

Nondi The aim of nondi is to capture maximum number of squares in the grid by hopping and jumping through the court in a specific pattern without the feet touching the lines and without putting a hand down to gain balance. A small and flat concrete area or a sandy ground would be ideal to play this game. The grid is drawn on the ground or on the floor and numbered as shown above the semicircle on the top with number 9 is Home. Things Required: A coin or a small slate or stone Chalk piece or chalk powder Flat Ground More than 1 player to have fun It’s having 4 phases Losing chances :  A player loses her chance at any stage if : He/She lands on a box that is captured by the opponents The coin is thrown on crossed squares. The coin falls out of the grid. The coin falls on the lines of the grid. The coin slips down off the palm.

Uriyadi Uriyadi – A traditional Pot breaking Game during temple festivals. Before describing this temple festival Uriyadi lets know understand history. Lord Sri Krishna was born in the "Rohini" nakshatram (Star) on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in sravana month and every Hindu celebrates the birthday of Lord Krishna as Janmashtami, Krishnashtami or Sree Krishna Jayanti festival with great dedication and joy.

Gilli-danda Gilli Danda" is played with two pieces of equipment - a danda, being a long wooden stick, and a gilli, a small oval-shaped piece of wood. Standing in a small circle, the player balances the gilli on a stone in an inclined manner (somewhat like a see-saw) with one end of the gilli touching the ground while the other end is in the air. The player then uses the danda to hit the gilli at the raised end, which flips it into the air. While it is in the air, the player strikes the gilli, hitting it as far as possible. Having struck the gilli, the player is required to run and touch a pre-agreed point outside the circle before the gilli is retrieved by an opponent. This aspect of the game is similar to runs in cricket or home-runs in baseball.

Pallanguzhi Pallanguzhi is played on a rectangular board with 2 rows and 7 columns. There are a total of 14 cups and 146 counters. For the counters in the game, seeds, shells, small stones are all common for use. As the game proceeds, each player distributes the shells over all the pits. The players may capture the shells, as permitted by the rules of the game. The rules of capture depend on the variant of the game played. The game ends when one of the players captures all the shells, and is declared as a winner.

Dhayam Dhayam : A board game which can be played by a minimum of 2 players to maximum of 4 players. Each player will have 6 coins. The player has to roll the dice for his turn. When the player gets Dhayam (1) he can place one of the coins on the board and start the game Then for any other value he can move his coin on the board towards the center. The player who gets all his/her coins to the center of the board is the winner.