Traditional games of Pakistan explained

Pakistan has many traditional games played in the rural and urban areas of the country.[1]

History

A lack of government funding, an increase in urbanisation, and the growth of Western sports have contributed to a decline in traditional sports.[2] [3] [4]

Traditional games

Gilli Danda

See main article: Gillidanda. Gilli Danda revolves around players taking turns to use one stick to hit another stick as far as possible, while trying not to allow the other team to catch the airborne stick before it touches the ground.[5]

Kite-flying

See main article: Fighter kite.

Pittu Garam

See main article: Seven stones. In Pittu Garam, one team throws a ball at a pile of seven stones and then attempts to put them back up as fast as possible, while the other team can throw the ball at players of the first team to eliminate them.[6]

Marbles

Marbles, also known as bilori or shinoli in Pashto, is a family of games involving marbles.[7]

Goli pila

Goli pila involves flicking marbles into small holes in the ground using one's fingers.[8]

Slap kabaddi

Tackling games

Yanda

Yanda (also known as Yenda, Yandu, etc.) is a game of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in which the teams take turns sending one of their players to run around a circle, while two opponents attempt to make the runner fall before he can run around the entire circle and safely make it back to his teammates. Players who are made to fall are eliminated from the game. The game ends once one team has all of its players eliminated, with the other team then winning the game.[9] [10]

Variations of tag

Kho-kho

Kho-kho is traditional for some people in Punjab and Sindh.[11] [12]

Wanjh wati

Wanjh wati is traditional to Sindh.[13] [14]

Baraf Paani

Players become frozen in place when tagged by an opponent, but are unfrozen by the touch of a teammate.[15]

Langri Pala

See main article: Langdi (sport). Players attempt to tag opponents while hopping on one foot.[16] [17] [18]

Jee

Jee is a traditional Balochi game in which one team attempts to send one player at a time from one area to another without being tagged out by the opponents.[19]

Bandar killa

Before the game starts, a coin toss-like process known as pugan pugayee is done, in which three players are chosen randomly and are asked to face one of their hands either upwards or downwards; if one of the player faces their hand in the opposite direction of the other two players, then that player is eliminated from this process; this repeats until finally, one player in the last group of three faces their hand in the opposite direction of the other two players, with this last player being chosen as the "monkey" (bandar). Once the monkey is chosen, the other players place their footwear around a tree or similar object; a rope is then bound to the tree, with the monkey required to hold the rope and continuously run around the tree. The other players then attempt to retrieve their footwear, but if any player is tagged by the monkey, play restarts and the tagged player becomes the new monkey. If all of the footwear is successfully retrieved, then the monkey is forced to run to a designated area away from the tree, while the other players are allowed to throw the footwear at the monkey. Play then restarts with all players continuing in their roles.[20] [21]

Board games

Carrom

Animal events

Chirpiest Partridge

Various caged partridges are placed next to each other, with the chirpiest of them winning the day's contest.

Tent pegging

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: What Are the Most Popular Traditional Sports in Pakistan? Let's Find Out . 2022-11-17 . A blog about real estate, lifestyle and tourism in Pakistan Zameen Blog . 16 September 2020 . en-US.
  2. Ali . Hafsa . Wright . Richard . Dickson . Geoff . 2023-06-12 . Sport policy in Pakistan . International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics . 15 . 3 . en . 563–575 . 10.1080/19406940.2023.2219272 . 1940-6940. free .
  3. Web site: isbpostadmin . 2020-07-23 . Traditional games of Punjab lost in the dust of time . 2023-10-10 . Islamabad Post . en-US.
  4. Hussain . Umer . Cunningham . George B . 2021 . 'These are "our" sports': Kabaddi and Kho-Kho women athletes from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan . International Review for the Sociology of Sport . en . 56 . 7 . 1051–1069 . 10.1177/1012690220968111 . 228933834 . 1012-6902.
  5. Web site: Traditional Games of Pakistan - Muhammad Awais - Youlin Magazine . 2022-11-17 . www.youlinmagazine.com . en.
  6. https://www.app.com.pk/features/traditional-games-of-pakistan-a-glimpse-into-past-and-present/ Traditional Games of Pakistan: A glimpse into past and present
  7. Web site: 2014-12-18 . Rolling back to golden past: playing marbles becomes a pastime for youngsters in Jamrud TNN . 2022-11-17 . TNN Tribal News Network . en-US.
  8. https://www.bolnews.com/pakistan/2021/12/a-glimpse-into-our-games-numerous-team-sports-including-desi-kushti-tent-pegging-and-stone-lifting-are-practiced-in-the-region/ A glimpse into our games: Numerous team sports including desi kushti, tent pegging and stone lifting are practiced in the region
  9. Vandal . Sajida . Hassan . Fakhra . Traditional Games of Pakistan .
  10. Web site: Sports and Games of Pashtoons . https://web.archive.org/web/20170419174423/http://www.khyber.org/culture/a/Sports_and_Games_of_Pashtoons.shtml . usurped . April 19, 2017 . 2022-11-17 . www.khyber.org.
  11. Hussain . Umer . Cunningham . George B . 2021 . 'These are "our" sports': Kabaddi and Kho-Kho women athletes from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan . International Review for the Sociology of Sport . en . 56 . 7 . 1051–1069 . 10.1177/1012690220968111 . 1012-6902.
  12. Web site: Workshop On Traditional Kho Kho Game Held . 2023-11-22 . UrduPoint . en.
  13. Web site: 2012-03-31 . 'Tradition ignored in Sindh Games' . 2023-11-22 . The Express Tribune . en.
  14. Web site: Correspondent . The Newspaper's . 2017-11-02 . Cultural festival held on SU Dadu campus . 2023-11-22 . DAWN.COM . en.
  15. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/47263861.pdf Value of traditional games
  16. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/47263861.pdf Value of traditional games
  17. Web site: Reporter . A. . 2012-02-14 . Book on children's folk games published . 2023-11-22 . DAWN.COM . en.
  18. Web site: Imran . Neeshay . 2020-05-18 . 10 Games From The 90's Every Pakistani Will Remember Playing . 2023-11-22 . Brandsynario . en-US.
  19. Akhter . Javed . The Importance of the Sports in Baloch Society: A Cultural Perspective .
  20. Web site: Bandar Qilla (Baander killa) - Dost Pakistan . 2023-07-30 . en-US.
  21. Web site: Kaur . Ramandeep . 2020-10-22 . ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਅੰਗ-ਸੰਗ (13): ਡਿਜੀਟਲ ਦੌਰ 'ਚ ਵਿਸਰਿਆ ਤੰਦਰੁਸਤੀ ਦਾ ਰਾਜ਼ . 2023-10-10 . punjabi.abplive.com . pa.