Tag : hinterland

New Delhi:  A new book talks about 15 traditional or indigenous games that hinterland of India has grown up playing but now have somewhat vanished from the urban landscape. "The Games India Plays: Indian Sports Simplified" by Amitabh Satyam and Sangeeta Goswami features traditional Indian games that are entertaining, intellectually stimulating, educational and which can be played almost anywhere with minimal equipment. The 15 such games mentioned in the book, published by Bloomsbury India, are Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Gilli Danda, Lagori, Nondi, Nalugu Rallu Atta, Yubi Lakpi, Nadee Parvat, Cheel Jhapatta, Jod Saakli, Vish Amrut, Langdi, Gella Chutt, Atya-Patya and Pacha Kuthirai. The authors say these games have been selected after extensive research. Some of the features of these games are - a detailed set of rules for each step during the game; many variations that allow possibilities to develop while playing, thus inviting players to innovate; fun to play with a large number of possible outcomes, maximising the involvement of each player at all times during the play. The book also says that these games can be played with no or minimal equipment and without any planning. They have established rules; some can be customised or relaxed depending on the field, the number of players and the equipment available. The authors also seek to establish a connection of these games to our ancient culture and assert that preserving these indigenous games is akin to preserving our culture. Satyam and Goswami, however, rue that these games have been almost eliminated from the active consideration of Indians. "Rich urban Indians just follow the West. Sports means the ones played in the West at the Olympics. Poor urban Indians aspire to do what the ur ...