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Rustic board game scores at Swiss scholarly meet

M. Dinesh Varma

Scholars interested in drawing parallels with Mancala


  • Touted as entertaining way to improve math and motor skills
  • Marathon affair during festivals like Sivarathri, Vaikunda Ekadasi and Ramzan
  • Researchers keen on unravelling its anthropological and social aspects
  • Pallankuzhi evokes little enthusiasm here



    GAMES OF YORE: `Pallankuzhi' evoked interest among international scholars at a recent Swiss meet on traditional games.

    CHENNAI: A rustic board game, once patronised by women in Tamil Nadu, was the toast of scholars who attended the international colloquium on the `Pit and Pebble Game' at Fribourg University, Switzerland, in September.

    Women's pastime

    `Pallankuzhi', a game played by dropping seeds into pits on a board, has been a women's pastime during the break at the workplace, an entertaining way to improve math and motor skills or a marathon affair during festivals like Sivarathri and Vaikunda Ekadasi. In Hindu mythology it is believed that Sita played this game under the Asoka tree during her captivity in Lanka.

    The game has fascinated researchers keen on unravelling its many anthropological and social aspects. Scholars who converged at Switzerland from countries such as the U.S., U.K., Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Cuba, Brazil, Antigua and Spain were particularly interested in the game's parallels with Mancala, the genre of board games played across the world.

    "I was surprised to see that western scholars had conducted researches on the game to find out the various skills of students at various levels," said V. Balambal, former history professor, University of Madras, the only Asian representative at the Fribourg meet. The game is taught in schools to improve the memory and motor skills of the students, and gender plays an important role in the game, she said.

    `Pallankuzhi' was also one of the chief attractions at the three-day festival of games at La Tour de-Pielz near Lausanne, which followed the academic event.

    Prof. Balambal, who presented a paper on `Gender aspects in Pallankuzhi in Tamil Nadu', focussed on the anthropological and social aspects of the game, and on how different types of game boards and game pieces are used in it.

    According to her paper, the game used to be played by rural women during their lunch break in the work spot. The women make instant boards on the sand and pick up the seeds or stick pieces or pebbles available on the spot. When they have to resume work, they just leave the game board and coins and draw a new board the following day, unlike their urban counterparts who use pre-fabricated boards and game pieces. Women also play `Pallankuzhi' through out the night during festivals such as Sivarathri, Vaikunda Ekadasi and Ramzan. The game is also played by young girls during their puberty period, the paper said.

    Prof. Balambal, who has authored the book `Folk games of Tamil Nadu', has traced 11 versions of the game. Senior women citizens recalled having played Pallankuzhi in childhood. Though played for entertainment, at a subconscious level the game is credited to have improved memory, motor and mathematical skills.

    According to Prof. Balambal, it is ironical that while there is international interest in this near-forgotten folk game, Pallankuzhi evokes little enthusiasm here.

    The researcher notes that some schools have started using our traditional games to teach maths and develop certain skills and values, and wants more institutions to follow suit. The adaptation of the game for special children should also be explored, the researcher felt. She can be reached at drbala50@hotmail.com

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