Outdoor games in India during the 1980s were a mix of traditional and modern games, mostly played in open fields, streets, and school playgrounds. Kids spent a lot of time outside, engaging in physical and social activities.
These games formed an integral part of childhood in the 1980s, fostering teamwork, strategy, and physical fitness, all without the need for expensive equipment!
When I see today's children and youngsters, I find them immersed in the abyss of a blue screen where their only physical exercise is with their tapping fingers, racing minds, and AI games. I feel sad that they miss the natural ambience in which we grew up amidst more human connections.
Whether it is gilli danda or langdi or jumping on squares and bending to pick the stone and hop….. We enjoyed giggles, friendly fights, and so much bonding that we built around our simple and fun games.
These reflections take me back to when simplicity and community spirit ruled our lives. These games often needed minimal equipment and were a great source of entertainment, physical activity, and social bonding for us.
With time, the gaming landscape has evolved; today, we are in the digital realm. In this chapter, I want to walk you through and explore the transition from age-old village games.
As I recall the old memories, I am listing those simple yet fun games of the bygone time, which now remain confined to distant rural places only and in our nostalgia.
Traditional games
Kabaddi: A contact sport that is widely popular in Indian villages. It involves two teams, and the objective is for a "raider" to tag as many members of the opposing team as possible and return to their side without being tackled or held back.
Gilli Danda: A traditional game where players use a small wooden stick (gilli) to strike a larger one (danda) into the air. Points are scored based on the distance the gilli travels and the number of times it is struck. The player is required to run and touch a pre-agreed point outside the circle before the gilli is retrieved by an opponent. On this aspect, I find Gilli danda similar to scoring runs in cricket or home-runs in baseball.
Kho-Kho: A popular tag game played with two teams taking turns chasing and tagging the opposing team's players, who are arranged in a square formation.
Pithoo or Lagori: In this game, a soft ball and a set of flat stones are used. The objective is to knock down the flat stones with the ball and then try to rebuild the stack while the opposing team tries to prevent it.
Langdi: Langdi, also known as Langdi Tang, is a game where one team tries to tag members of the opposing team while hopping on one leg. The tagged player is then considered "out."
Marbles (Kancha): This game involves players trying to knock down each other's marbles by shooting their marbles at them. The player who knocks down the most marbles wins.
Pachisi (Ludo): Pachisi, similar to the modern game of Ludo, is a board game played with cowrie shells and trim pieces. Players move their pieces around the board based on the roll of dice.
Satoliya(Seven Stones): This game involves stacking seven flat stones on each other and then trying to knock them down with a ball. Players must also retrieve the ball while the opposing team tries to prevent them.
Chhupan Chhupai (Hide and Seek): This is a universal game where one player closes their eyes and counts while others hide. The player then tries to find and tag the hidden players.
Aankh Micholi: A game where one player is blindfolded, and the others try to avoid being tagged while the blindfolded player tries to catch them by calling out "Aankh Micholi."
Dhop Khel (Dhoopkhel): A game combining precision and agility that involves hitting a ball with a stick while standing in a specific location.
Bambaram (Spinning Top) : Players spin a top and try to knock down opponents' tops, demonstrating skill and talent.
Goti (Hopscotch) : This involves hopping through a pattern drawn on the ground, testing balance and coordination.
How do you feel reading and remembering those past days? Changing time is both tragic and magical. And we're just caught in its wheels like dust, rolling along with it and taking up what it puts on us.
And if you belong to the modern times, I want you to learn about this and pass on these traditional games to future generations. Mobile and static games did no good to any of you when we see from the perspective of fitness. So, take charge of the well-being of the coming generations and build their base in the growing phase.