INDIAN TRADITIONAL GAMES - గ్రామీణ ఆటలు / పల్లెటూరి ఆటలు

నా ఊరు పల్లెటూరు, ప్రకృతి అందాల పల్లెటూరు ..
నే తిరిగిన వీధులు, నే నెరిగిన మనుషులు, నే నెక్కిన చెట్లు -ఇళ్ల మెట్లు , దిగిన కాలువ గట్లు , ఆడిన అల్లి చెరువు గట్లు ,
పరుగులెత్తిన, పడిలేచిన పొలం గట్లు, నేలను దున్నే ఎడ్లు,-నే తిన్న వడ్లు, నే తొక్కిన రేగడి మట్టి , నే మెక్కిన తెల్లమీగడ జున్ను ,

మా గురువులు ,మా పుస్తకాల బరువులు, మా బడి, గంటల గుడి .
మొత్తం నా బాల్యం సాక్షిగా ....నా ఊరు పల్లెటూరు.
నా ఊరు పల్లెటూరని రొమ్ము విరుస్తాను ,నా తల వంచుతాను .......:!!

Thokkudu Billa

బొంగరాల ఆట (BONGARALATA): బొంగరాల ఆట మొగపిల్లలు ఎక్కువుగా ఆదుకునే ఆట. ఇందుకు ప్రత్యేకంగా బొంగరాలు తయారు చేయించుకొంటారు . చిన్నవి పెద్దవి బొంగరాలుంటాయి .బొంగరం దారం ఆధారంగా తిరుగుతుంది. ఈ దారాన్ని జాల అంటారు. జాలను బొంగరానికి చుడతారు జల జారిపోకుండా బొంగరానికి కొన్ని గీతలుంటాయి. ఆ జీతాల చుట్టూ చుట్టాలి.తరువాత జాల చివర గట్టిగ బొటనవేలుకు,చూపుడు వేలుకు మధ్య బంధించి నెల ఫై విసురుతారు. అప్పుడు బొంగరం ములికి ఆధారముగా తిరుగుతూ ఉంటుంది. దీని ఆడించటమేకాదు, దీనిపై పందాలు కూడా ఆడతారు.

ఓ గుండ్రని గీతలో బొంగరాలు ఉంచి పంటలూ వేసి ఎన్నికైనవాడు ముందుగా ఆట ప్రారంభిస్తారు.
అతను తన బొంగరం ద్వారా ఎదుటివాడి బొంగరాన్ని గీత బయటకు దాటించాలి. అప్పుడు ఆ బొంగరం అతను ఓడినట్టు లేదా ఆ బొంగరం కొట్టిన వాడి సొంతమవుతుంది. ఈ ఆటకూడా చాల చోట్ల రకరకాల పద్ధతుల్లో ఆడుతారు. ఆటలో ఒక్కసారి బొంగరం ములికి దెబ్బలు తినడమే కాదు రెండు ముక్కలు అవుతుంది. ఎన్ని నొక్కులుంటే అన్నిసార్లు ఓడినట్టు గుర్తుకూడ. ఈ ఆట ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్, తెలంగాణ అంతటా వేసవి సెలవుల్లో పిల్లలు ఆడుతూ కనిపిస్తుంటారు. [ Video of Bhongaralata ]

కోతికొమ్మచ్చి (KOTHI KOMMACHI): కోతి చేష్టలు కనిపించే ఆట అంటే కోతికొమ్మచ్చి . కోతిలా గెంతడం దూకడం ఈ ఆటలో ఆనందం కలిగిస్తాయి. చెట్ల మధ్య ఆహ్లాదకరమైన వాతావరణములో ఈ ఆట ఆడుకోవచ్చు. ఎక్కువుగా మగపిల్లలు ఆడే ఆట ఇది.

ఆడే విధానం: ఉరిబయట ఓ పెద్దచెట్టును చూసుకొని చెట్టు ముందు గుండ్రని గీత పరిదిగా గీస్తారు. తరువాత ఆడుకునేవాళ్ళదరు పంటాలు( ముగ్గురు చేతులో తీసికొని ఒక్కసారి వేస్తారు కొందరు వెల్లకిలా ,కొందరు బోర్లా వేస్తారు. అదులో ఒకరు ఎటువైపు వేస్తారో వాళ్ళు పంట అయినట్టు . మిగిలినవాళ్లు కూడా ఇలాగే వేస్తారు చివరకి ఒకరు మిగులుతారు ). ద్వారా దొంగను గుర్తిస్తారు. దొంగ తప్ప మిగతా వాళ్లంతా చెట్టు ఎక్కుతారు.కింద గీత లో ఒక కర్ర పెడతారు. ఒకరు ఆకర్ర దూరంగా విసిరేస్తారు . ఆ దొంగ వెళ్లి కర్ర తెచ్చే లోపల ఆ కర్ర విసిరేసిన అతను చెట్టు ఎక్కాలి. చెట్టు ఎక్కేలోపే ఆ దంగా వచ్చి పట్టుకుంటే ఆటను దొంగ కావాల్సిఉంటుంది. దొంగ తిరిగి వచ్చి చెట్టెక్కి మిగతా వాళ్ళను పట్టుకోవాలని చూస్తాడు. వాళ్ళు కొమ్మలో కోతుల్లా అటుఇటు దొరకకుండా దూకుతారు. దొంగ మరి దగ్గరికివస్తే కింద గుండ్రని గీతలో దూకుతారు. కింద దూకేటప్పుడు చెట్టుక్కేటప్పుడు దాని లెక్కించారు. దొంగ ముట్టుకునే వరకు ఆటకనసాగుతుంది. పల్లెటూరిలో వేసవి వస్తే అందరు ఈ అట ఆడుతుండారు.

Kothi Kommachi: Kothi Kommachi (English: Tree Climbing Monkey) is a very funny outdoor game played by rural children of Andhra Pradesh. This game is played in the name of Kothi Kombe in Karnataka and Marameri kurangu in Tamil Nadu. The game was extinct owing to urbanization.

At least 3 or more children, a small stick, and a ground with few trees are required to played this game.

At the beginning of the game children form a circle holding their hands together. The raise the hands up together and suddenly leaves off the hands and claps individually with left arm facing up and right hand facing up or down. The one who claps different from others becomes monkey. At the end of this process, one who claps different from other two, becomes the catcher and the others are termed as monkeys. This process is termed as chain cut.

After the chain cut, one of the monkeys draws a circle of 4 feet on the ground and throws the stick far away. While the catcher restores the stick back in the circle, all other monkeys climb the trees near by. The objective of the catcher is to capture the monkeys on the trees, as long as the stick is in the circle. The catcher climbs any of the trees to capture at least one monkey, while the stick is in the circle. If any of the monkeys manages to dismount a tree and throws the stick far away, the catcher has to restore the stick and continue to capture the monkeys. The catcher cannot capture the monkeys while the stick is out of the circle. If the catcher manages to capture a monkey which is on the land by fate, then the game restarts with that monkey as catcher.

పుల్లాట ( PULLATA / Chuk Chuk pulla): దీనిని ఇసుకకుప్ప ఆట అని కూడా పిలుస్తారు. ఇసుకలో పుల్లను దాచి కనుక్కోవడం యీ ఆట లక్షణం . దీనిని ఆడపిల్లలు మొగపిల్లలు అందరు ఆడుకొంటారు

ఆడే విధానం:ఓ చోట చేరిన పిల్లలు ఈ ఆటాకుకు ఇసుక ఉన్న ప్రదేశమును చూసుకొంటారు . ఒకరు తల్లి పాత్ర వహిస్తారు. లేదా ఎండవాన వేసి ఒక నాయుడిని ఎన్నుకుంటారు. తల్లి పాత్రధారి ఆడుకొనేవాళ్లను తన సమీపంలో కూచోబెట్టి వాళ్ళు చూడకుండా చిన్న పుల్లను ఇసుకలో దూర్చి అటుఇటు అంటుంది .ఆడుకునేవాళ్లలో ఒకరు ముందుగా పొడుగ్గా ఉండే ఇసుక కుప్పపై పుల్ల ఉంచిన ప్రాంతం గీర్తిచి రేడు చేతులు దానిపై వేయాలి . ఆ ప్రదేశం సరిగ్గా గుర్తిస్తే ఆటను గెలిచినట్లు లేకపోతే తల్లి పాత్రధారి ఆ ఇసుక కుప్ప పుల్లతోసహా ఎత్తి అతని దూసట్లో పోసి ఆటను కళ్ళను చేతులతో మూసి దారి తెలియకుండా అటుఇటు తిప్పి ఓచోట పోయించి తీసుకువస్తుంది.తరువాత ఇసుక తీసుకువెళ్లిన వ్యక్తి వెళ్లి తనెక్కడ ఇసుకపొశాడో గుర్తించి అందులోని పుల్లను తల్లికి తీసుకువచ్చి ఇవ్వాలి . యీ విధముగా ప్రతి ఆటగాడు ఆడాలి. పుల్ల తెచ్చిన వాళ్ళ ఆట ముగుస్తుంది

Chuk Chuk pulla (also called Vennela Vatti Aata / Vannela Patti / Doodumbulla / Pilladee Vaata) is a funny game played by the children of rural Andhra Pradesh until late 1970s and 1980s. The game was extinct completely owing to Western influence, and Urbanization.

At least two members are required to play this game. A small stick or any Matchstick is the material required to play this game. Fine sandy area would be ideal to play this game. The objective of this game is that the Seeker has to guess the place where the match stick was dropped along with the sand.

Suppose that A and B are the players in the game. Initially A takes a match stick and covers it with a small pile of sand, about half meter in length. The objective of B, the seeker, is to guess the place of match stick in the sand. After guessing the place, B places both of his hands joined on the sand. At this moment, there are a couple of phases in the game.

First phase is that, if the match stick lies under any of B's hands, A loses the game.

In the second phase, if the match stick does not lie exactly under any of B's hands, A puts some quantity of sand along with the stick in the hands of B, whose eyes are closed with a kerchief. A carefully takes B to a nearest place. At the place A makes B to drop the sand and the stick. After this A brings B back to his place. B unties his kerchief and opens eyes. Now B has to discover the place where the match stick was dropped by him. B wins the game if he does it. If not B goes out of the game and A continues the game with others. The game enhances the power of intuition and discovery in children.

Dagudu Mootalu is a funny game similar to Hide and Seek. Presently this game is out of existence owing to western culture influence. Dagudu Mootalu game requires atleast 10 members. This game is played as follows: A member X closes the eyes of a member Y. We consider Y to be Cat and others to be Rats. X points the hands of Y towards each of the members who comes near one by one. X says 'Veeri Veeri Gummadipandu, Veeri paeraemi?'. Y has to guess the correct member when asked by X. If the guess is right, the other member from the group takes the place of Y. If not Each of the members pinch the nose of Y and hide at their safe places. X shouts "Dagudu Mootala danda kore, pilli vache yelaka bhadram, yekkadi dongalu akkade gapchip, sambaru buddi, kalloo moosi kaali kore, yekkadi dongalu akkade gapchip" and opens the eyes of Y. Now Y has to quest for the hidden members. The members have to come from their hideouts and touch X with out being captured by Y. The first member who is found and captured by Y takes the place of Y and the game restarts.

చెండాట (Chendata) (Punjabi: Kokla Chapaki) is a funny game for children. In some states of India, this game is played in the name of Mama Che Patre or Uncle's Letter. The kerchief used in this game is termed as Chendu.

At the beginning of the game children form a circle holding their hands together. The raise the hands up together and suddenly leaves off the hands and claps individually with left arm facing up and right hand facing up or down. The one who claps different from others becomes Runner . At the end of this process, one who claps different from other two, becomes It and the others are termed as Runners. This process too is termed as Chain Cut.

The objective of the game is that 'It' who is decided in chain cut, has to chase a runner by hitting with the kerchief. The playing members sit in a circle, keeping the eyes closed. The 'it' leaves his kerchief or scarf at the back of one of the players. It makes a round with out a sound, and hits the runner, the back of whom he placed the kerchief. It hits the runner with the kerchief for the first time. The runner has to escape from It in anti-clockwise direction around the circle of players making at least one or two rounds and take the place of It. Each round begins and ends at the place of the runner. If It manages to hit the runner with the kerchief in the second or third rounds etc, the game restarts with that Runner becoming It. If the runner successfully takes It's the place after escaping from the hittings, the game starts again with the same It.

Bomma Borusa: (English: Heads or Tails)or (Toss) is a time pass game of Probability. A Rupee coin consists of a numeral value on one side and a figure on the other side. The side of numeral value is called Bomma (Head) and the other side is called Borusa (Tail). A person X holds a coin and asks another person Y to choose either Bomma or Borusa. X throws the coin which goes up and then falls on the ground. He wins the toss if Y's guess in wrong. He looses the toss if Y's guess is right.

Kappa Gantulu (English: Frog Jumps or Stone Skimming or Stone skipping or Ducks & Drakes) is a favorite pass time game for children. The game involves throwing a stone with a flattend surface across a lake, a pond or other body of water in such a way that it bounces off the surface of the water. The objective of this funny game is to see that how many times a stone can be made to bounce before sinking. Researchs has discovered that an angle of about 20 degrees between the stone and the water's surface is optimal.

Daadi is an ancient board game, originated in Europe by name Nine Men's Morris . The game is for two or four players. Two pairs of men use pieces of different colours. Each player uses 9 pieces. In other words there will be 9x4=36 tokens in the game. Players capture the opponent by forming mills. A mill is a 3 or more pieces of same color in a row, along a board line. For each mill formed, the player may capture the opponent's piece. It is removed from the board and cannot return. When one player has 2 or fewer pieces left on the board, the game is over and that player will lose the game. It is possible to form two mills in one turn, in which case two pieces are captured. To prevent a single mill from a decisive adavantage, a mill is not counted if it is formed by moving a piece from a mill and moving it back in the immediately following turn. Gooti-Billa or "Karra-Billa" or "Billam-Godu" in Telugu,

Gudu Gudu Gunjam is a very funny game played by children in rural parts of Andhra Pradesh. The game was vanished by 1980's and 1990's with the influence of western culture in India. The questions and answers in the game enhances the memory power in children. Two members say A and B place their fists one above the other, so that the point finger of the third member C can be fit in. C puts his point finger in the closed fists of A and rotates in it. While rotating his finger he says "Gudu Gudu Gunjam, Gunda raagam; Pamuni patnam, padaga raagam; Katte vaeyyana, Badde vaeyyana?; Vaenneelleyyana? Channeelleyyana?". Vaenneellu indicates hot water, and Channeellu indicates cold water. A can choose either Vaenneellu or Channeellu. A gets a hard pinch on his fist for Vaenneellu and a little pinch for Channeellu from C. A puts his hands at his back.

గుజ్జన గూళ్ళూ (Gujjana Goollu): (also called Buvvalaata) is a very popular ancient time pass game, especially played by the children of Andhra Pradesh. This traditional game is devoid of logic, but to children, it gives a picture on nuptiallife. By 1960-70's, this game was extinct because of Urbanization in India.

Boys get Cereals, Jaggery, Puffed rice (maramaralu) and salt etc., in little quantities from their elders. Girls place them in wooden toy kitchen set (Lakka Pidatalu)and perform an act of cooking the food on a stove and dropping down after it is cooked. Then they act as if they are eating food all together. The toy kitchen set, filled in with food, is termed as Gujjana Goollu.

After this, they decorate a couple of kiddy figures as bride and groom to perform a Toy Wedding. Following this, the children are split into two teams, one on behalf of the groom, and another on behalf of the bride. The two teams share these Gujjana Goollu among themselves. This is followed by emptying the pulp in Tamarind fruit shells, stuffing in the shells with rice, placing them in a fire stove and eating them after cooked grandly in the name of Gujjana Goollu.

Historically, the Gujjana Goollu game took birth at the time when Ramayana and Mahabharata were written. This game is believed to be played by Rukmini and Garika in books like Vyasa's Bhagavata Purana and Allasani Peddana's Manu Charitra. Today the toy kitchen set for this game is available only at Etikoppaka and no where else in India.

Achenagandlu (also called Achamgilla or Chintapikkalata or Gachakayalata) is a favorite pass time game, especially for homely girls. This rural game is usually played with five small stones or seeds of Fevernut (Caesalpinia Bondoc) or seeds of Tamarind etc. This game is believed to have originated in ancient Asia. In ancient world, it was played by different countries. Other names for this game are: English - Knucklebones, Jackstones, Jacks, Dibs, Game of five stones, Onesies; Korea-Lee Young-Ah

The following is the variation played in Andhra Pradesh. To decide who starts, a player throws five objects (say stones) into the air with one hand and tries to catch as many as possible on the back of same hand. The stones that were caught are then thrown up again from the back of the hand where they came to rest and as many as possible are caught in the palm of same hand. The other players do the same and the player who catches most stones starts the game. The game goes in anti-clockwise fashion.

In the first round, toss all the 5 stones in the floor. Then pick up 1 with your fingers and toss it in the air. Pick another one up and then catch the one you threw in the air. Pick each of them in turns. In the second round, pick 2 stones up at a time. In the third round, pick 3 stones at a time, then pick the last one up. In the fourth round pick 4 of them up. In the last step toss the stones into the air and catch them on the back of your hand. You have to snatch them off and try to catch them in your palm. The number of stones you caught in your palm is your score. If you failed to catch them its another player's turn.

Toy Wedding (Bommala Pelli) is a game of nuptial activity with wooden toys performed by children of Andhra Pradesh. This game of recreational activity was completely extinct by 1960's with the urbanization, industrialization and western culture influence in India.

Boys and Girls gather a 10 people toy set which includes figures of a bride, bridegroom and other personalities from wooden toy manufacturers. Children form into two groups, each with equal number of members to perform the marriage between a bride and groom. One boy from each group act as a wedding priest. The steps in the toy wedding go similar fashion to Hindu traditional wedding system which include Wedding looks, Engagement, Kanyadaan, Mangalsutra etc. Toy Wedding ends with the groom tying Mangalsutra to the neck of the bride at an auspicious time.

Although this beautiful game has no logic, it psychologically gives a clear picture of the beauty of Indian traditional marriage system to growing children. Toy Weddings are often seen in Tollywood movies of 50's and 60's. Today the 10 people toy set is available only at Etikoppaka and no where else in India.

Ramudu Sita is a funny game played by children of Andhra Pradesh until 1990's, and is extinct owing to Urbanization. The game requires writing the names of Ramayana characters, with each character name exactly once, on few white slips of equal size, color and shape. Each of the slips are twice folded with names inside. The Ramayana characters commonly includes—Rama, Sita, Bharata, Shatrugna, Ravana, Hanuman etc.

The objective of the game is—the person who gets the slip with Rama, drawn at random, has to guess the person who gets the slip by name Sita.

One of the players shuffles down the slips on the floor . Each player picks up a slip at random. The players should not reveal the names of the slips to each other. Now the player who gets the slip in which the name Rama was written, has to guess the person who gets the slip in which the name Sita was written. The player scores a point if the guess is right and the game starts again. If the player mistakenly guesses a person who gets the slip in which Ravana was written, he loses a point. The winner in this game is the player who wins maximum number of points.

Nela-Banda is a game played by children in villages where stones are there. Set of people will stand on stones and one person will touch one of them who is running b/w stone's i.e when their feet on mud. Then that person will find another person...like that. Bunch of kids will be jumping b/w stones or stone & mud to tease !!

Other games: