Chakka Vachhi for Forgotten Indian Games!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I was wondering, which game I will start to post with for my event "Forgotten Indian Games". I had kept 2 games in my draft. But this one came first in my mind to post.

This is one of the all time favorite game of everyone. Now also it is played in villages. I am not sure about cities. 

You can start playing if there are 2 people to play and can start without much preparation. Do not get confused with the title of the game. It is a pucca Dharwad - Hubli language and we call it by this name only. Once you go through the post you will know the game, and I am sure you all know this game and each state has its own name for this game.

First let me explain about the tools or what we need for this game. It is the cheapest one with more fun.

You need one square board,(we used to take a wooden plank from the kitchen, which was used while eating food to keep the plate) or even the dark  floor is also fine.

 4 tamarind seeds,

This is very interesting step to prepare these seeds and turn these in to dice. Those days, we did not had dice and tamarind seeds was the easiest and cheapest way to get. We used to get seeds from the kitchen and everyone who wants to play has to sit with one seed. Dip it in the water and start rubbing one side on rough stone to remove skin of one side to make it white. This way, the seeds would stay longer without breaking.

One more way was to keep it straight and hit directly on it with hammer to cut into to 2 pieces. It was difficult for children and it used to break after 2 -3 games, the seeds would have been gone.

There was demand for these seeds also, we used to fry these seeds and eat.

chalk piece, 

4 set of 4 small things which can be fit into small squares.( let me call these as coins)

Here small things means, 4 same type beads, buttons, grains, stones, match stick, which you can keep on the board and move them easily.

Two to four people can play this game. The game is more fun if there are full 4 members.

Draw 5 X 5 equal square box on a wooden plank or square board or on a floor with chalk piece.

Draw diagonal lines as shown in the photo. The board is ready to play.

all the four people sit in front of each diagonal.and keep your coins in the diagonal square. That is your house.

The person who is starting first, has to drop the four seeds on the floor and see what he got! (Do not consider the counting first time, it is for God!!! Funny no? that was how we used to play )

Next time what he gets, according to that he has to move one coin. Then the second one will play and move his coins (in the right direction). Like this way that one coin has to pass all the outer squares then enter the inner square. He is the winner who takes all his coins first in the middle diagonal square. Every one has to use all his coins and take to the middle square.

Fun in this game is, when one player has moved his coin to a particular square, and the second player also reaches the same square, the second one will hit the first coin and send it to its house. That coin should start all over again to reach the middle square.

Now coming to Chakka and Vacchi terms.

When we throw the seeds, we get both the faces of the seeds. the white and the black. On that we decide the numbers.

1 white face and 3 black face the score is ONE and we call it as vacchi, it is the lowest score here.

2 white face and 2 black face, the score is TWO and we call it as doni.

3 white face and 1 black face , the score is THREE  and we call it as teeni

4 white face,  the score is FOUR and we call it as chakka

4 black face, the score is EIGHT  and we call it entu, it is the highest score.

 I know this is little longer post~ but I have tried to explain it  as much as in detail I can. I hope you all might have understood the game and I am sure, even you have played this game with different name.

Feel free to comment if you find any mistakes in game rules or language.

This is going  to my event  Forgotten Indian games!! (Edited and re written), ... 

Keep Smiling,