Q1.
There are many indigenous games in India. Kho-kho is an example of an indigenous game. Indigenous games are native to a region. Find out some native games of your state and other parts of India. Learn the rules of one such game and play it with your classmates under the supervision of your teacher.
Answer
Indigenous means born in a place — a game that grew up in a region instead of being brought there from outside. India has hundreds of them, most needing nothing but a bit of open ground.
| Game | Where it is strong | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Kho-kho | Maharashtra and all over India | Nine players a side, two poles, an open rectangle |
| Kabaddi | Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana — nationwide | Seven a side, one breath, a courtyard of earth |
| Gilli-danda | North and central India | One short stick and one long one |
| Lagori / Pittu / Seven Stones | Karnataka, Maharashtra, and much of India | Seven flat stones and a soft ball |
| Langdi | Maharashtra | Nothing at all — you chase while hopping on one leg |
| Mallakhamb | Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh | A wooden pole or a hanging rope |
| Silambam | Tamil Nadu | A bamboo staff (a martial art) |
| Thang-ta and Yubi lakpi | Manipur | A sword-and-spear art; and a game played with a greased coconut |
| Dhopkhel | Assam | A rubber ball and two teams facing each other |
| Insuknawr (rod pushing) | Mizoram | One wooden rod and two strong players |
Sample answer — the rules of kho-kho, the game you can play tomorrow:
- Two teams of nine players each. A rectangular court has a pole at each end and eight squares in a line down the middle.
- Eight chasers sit in the middle squares facing alternate directions; the ninth is the active chaser, standing at a pole.
- Three runners from the other team enter the court and try to stay untouched.
- The active chaser may run only in the direction he is facing and may not cross the central line. To change direction he must touch a seated teammate on the back and shout “Kho!” — that teammate stands up and takes over.
- A runner is out when a chaser touches him. As soon as one runner is out the next one enters, so there are always three on the court.
- The chasing team gets one point for every runner put out. Each turn lasts about seven or nine minutes, and the teams then swap roles. The team with more points wins.
How to present the project: name the game, say which region it comes from, list the rules in six or seven short numbered points, draw the court, and finish with one line on what makes it special — for kho-kho, that it needs no equipment at all, only speed and quick thinking.