Ask any kid on the road on which is their ‘˜favourite sport’? Gleefully, the reply comes ‘“ Cricket. Besides that, the likes of football, hockey, tennis, golf etc (all international based) have made it into the Indian homes.
Ask any kid on the road on which is their ‘favourite sport’? Gleefully, the reply comes – Cricket. Besides that, the likes of football, hockey, tennis, golf etc (all international based) have made it into the Indian homes. So every Indian teenager wants to be a Virat Kohli, Wayne Rooney or a Rafael Nadal! What’s wrong in that? Well, there’s nothing but we Indians fail to know that our country did produce some fascinating sports. Some are still played today while some have faced extinction or are on the verge of it.
Here are some of the sports that we have listed that could brush up on those weak history skills. Have a look:
Kabaddi
Known to be our national sport, ‘kabaddi’ is richly famous in the northern parts of the country and in some regions of Maharashtra. Even though, many youngsters might still not know the basic rules of the game, kabaddi still etches out as one of the finest game in our country. The fact of the matter is that there is a ‘Kabaddi World Cup’ too, makes it more versatile. The rules are simple – two teams compete with each other for higher scores, by touching or capturing the players of the opponent team. Each team consists of 12 players, of which seven are on court at a time, and five in reserve. The two teams fight for higher scores, alternating defence and offense. The court is as large as that for a dodge ball game. The game consists of two 20 minute halves, with a break of five minutes for change of sides.
Kho-Kho
One of the favourites during old school days, kho-kho stood out as the best outdoor games ever played. Rules are that each team consists of twelve players, but only nine players take the field. Two innings consists of chasing and running turns of 7 minutes each. Eight members of the chasing team sit in their eight squares on the central lane, alternately facing the opposite direction, while the ninth member is chasing, and stands at either of the posts, ready to begin the pursuit. Members of the chasing team have to put their opponent out, touching them with their palms, but without committing a foul.
Mallakhamb
The beginning of this sport goes back to the medieval ages in India. ‘Malla’ means gymnast, and ‘khamb’ means pole. It is this skilled grace, agility, handiness and flexibility of body, combined with quick reflexes, muscle coordination and sense of timing, that single out this game as special.
Gilli-Danda
Next time if you are hit by an object that is small and round around the corners, don’t be mistaken, it’s a gilli. ‘Gilli-Danda’ as it’s known around the parts of India, the game is played with two sticks: a large one called a danda, which is used to hit a smaller one, the gilli. Wikipedia states on it’s page that the sport is played in Cambodia and Italy (Really)!
