101 good old games revisited

Hyderabad-based Sangeeta, educationist turned fashion designer, ISB alumni and Archana, an interior designer, and home decor expert are on a mission to revive long forgotten, almost extinct 'Good Old Indian Games'.

"The childhood games on their target for revival are 'Pachis', 'Ashta Chamma', 'Vamana Guntalu', 'Puli Joodam', 'Daadi', 'Snake and Ladder', 'Chadrangam' (Chess), 'Taabla', 'Kailsam', 'Gachkaayalu', 'Bambaram', 'Pittoo', etc. These were the games we have grown up playing in our childhood," They inform.

Both friends have known each other for 10 years, and four years ago decided they must work to revive a number of games which they personally played during their childhood.

Now they are planning to do an exhibition in the third of week of April at Saptaparni, Banjara Hills, named "Heritage Games of India Expo" to showcase 101 games.

They formed a company. And the name they gave to the company is 'Good Old Games'. Their mission is not only to revive those games but, also present them as an alternative to virtual games to which our kids are hooked on to.

The passionate duo gave a modern and designer look to the indoor games, and they will be showcasing most of the 101 Games they got developed.

Some of these include 'Ashta Chemma' in rubberwood, nu-wood, cedar wood, jaipur chowki; vamana guntalu in painted wood, book fold design, antiques in country wood, 'Pachisi' in kalamkari, silk embroidery, Jaipur chowki, velvet. etc

Committed to the cause, Sangeeta and Archana have been showcasing and organising exhibitions of these games for the past four years. But, this time they are doing it in a very large and wide scale.

They even plan to organise a series of awareness programs, panel discussions. To bring back their past glory they are planning to organise tournaments and competitions in the near future with 'Good Old Games' in association with Lodge Keys No. 297, a primary unit of Freemasonry.

"There is a child in every adult. And these games are good tools to unwind at the end of the hectic day to day life and busy schedule," says Sangeeta. "These were the games played in every home and lane and by lane few decades ago.

They involved good physical, mental activity and a lot of fun. They also served as bonding activities among the members of the family. But, unfortunately, the present-day generation kids miss them."

"Our aim is to help youngsters discover fun of these games. Currently, kids are hooked on to computer games, virtual games, mobile games, laptops. In these days of a stressful life, they will serve as good stress busters.

They are easy to play and they don't need a big playground. These are both indoor and outdoor games, she added," puts Archana.

"Getting all these games developed and putting them at one place is a big task. The traditional games are the best pathway to get connected to the real world and spend time with family and friends.

These Indian organic games have moral values and teach good strategy and thinking skills, which are very useful to this generation kids where they hardly interact with each other.

A simple game like five stones builds eye and hand coordination and Vamana Guntalu helps with counting. All these Indian games were reasons and roots for spreading knowledge, skills, and strategies," inform both Sangeeta and Archana.