Out of many positive things that happened during the pandemic, one of them surely is that we all came back to our roots, from watching the old Ramayan to gossiping over a cup of ginger tea with the family. The fact that no one could go out freely and take part in any games or recreational activity, people turned towards indoor board games. From great grandfather to his son to his daughter, almost everyone likes playing games. Not only it allows the family to sit and laugh together, but it is also a good way of keeping stress at bay. But how many of us know the history of these games or maybe the origin?
The Riches Of Board Games
Out of all the riches and wisdom India gave to the world. Board games are one of the most relished ones.
The origin of ludo, snakes, and ladders, and chess can be easily traced back to the pages of Indian history. Ludo is a simplified version of the game chauper or pachisi. It was once known as the country’s national game. The word pachisi is derived from pachis, or number 25. It was the maximum value of the thrown dice made of cowry shells. This is a highly strategic game played by 2 to 4 players on a cross-shaped board. The aim is to move all four pieces around the board. In Mahabharat this is the same game played between the Pandavas and the Kauravas.
Morals, Benefits, And Tradition
Snakes and ladder in ancient India were widely known as Moksha patam. Not only this game calms down and set around an air of fun. But the snakes and ladders hold a moral symbolism. The games move from the bottom to the top, where players encounters the threat of snakes. And the promise of ladders. Journey up the board symbolizes a life path wrought with virtues (ladders) and vices (stairs) (snakes).
Learning these games on a large scale can help people overcome issues like rage, anxiety, and murder. Landing on a virtual grid, on the other hand, was like accomplishing good things like being modest, truthful, and kind, and thus climbing the moral ladder. Reaching the grid and achieving Moksha is the goal of the game.
Chess And Categorization
Chess first appeared in India during the Gupta dynasty, and it was originally known as chaturanga. Chaturanga means four divisions that refer to four kinds: infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots.
Even after decades of their origin, these three games still attract people of all age groups and are considered one of the best indoor activities.
Many more ancient board games can be categorized as counting games, war games, racing games, matching games, hunting games, solitary games, and morality games. Each of them offers various modes of play, players, board set-up, counter numbers, and winning options. Above all, the list of games to explore is almost infinite. But in this series, we will try to cover all the main traditional Indian games that are entertaining and educating, strategical, and even appealing to conscience.