Soodu Kottai:Traditional Game
Contents
In olden days kids used to play and have fun with naturally and readily, available things got from trees, plants, etc. There used to play many games, some of the games are listed here
One such game known by all and played even today is Soodu Kottai, It is got from the cylindrical
flowers of Kalyana murungai, which is one of the most colorful indigenous tree of peninsular India. Kids used to collect the seeds and rub it on the floor to generate heat it in, the beauty of this seed is it generates more heat while rubbing on the floor and maintain the heat in the seed. Then the rubbed hot seed is put on any part of the body other than face. The kid who got the hot seed will run and will do the same to the kid who gave him the hot treatment. It’ll be great fun that the kids will put the hot seed on other when the receiver is unaware of it.
Soodu Kottai (Aadu Puli Aatam)South Indian Game-
The other one is Pattaas Kaai. It is found on road side bushes in Villages. This seed will burst in few seconds after you sprinkle water on it. Kids used to collect them while going to school, and will sprinkle water on it and put inside the dress of other kids. The seed with water on it will burst inside the dress which will create an irritating sensation in the body, its of great fun when kids run here and there after the seed gets busted in their body.
Kids collect another plant, which has a hollow stem with a rose color flower at the end of it. Kids use the stem part, which is like a tube to blow bubbles with soap water. It is a seasonal game where the kids blow bubbles when the flower blossoms.
There are more games kids used to play in villages with the naturally available items and have great fun of it.
Materials:
- A board with a grid of seven squares by seven squares
- Four game pieces for each player (traditionally, these are goats and tigers)
- A six-sided die
Objective:
The game is played between two players, one playing as the “goats” and the other as the “tigers.” The goats’ objective is to block the tigers from moving, while the tigers’ objective is to capture the goats.
Setup:
The game begins with the board empty. The goats start by placing their pieces on any empty square on the board. The tigers do not place any pieces on the board at the start of the game.
Gameplay:
The goats move first, and they can move their pieces diagonally to an adjacent empty square. The tigers can move diagonally to an adjacent square, but they can also jump over a goat if there is an empty square on the other side of the goat.
The tigers’ objective is to capture as many goats as possible by jumping over them. When a tiger captures a goat, the goat is removed from the board, and the tiger replaces it on the same square.
The goats’ objective is to block the tigers from moving by surrounding them with their pieces. If a tiger is surrounded by goats on all four sides, it is considered trapped and cannot move. The goats win if they manage to trap all the tigers, while the tigers win if they capture five goats.
Players take turns moving their pieces and rolling the die to determine the number of squares they can move. If a player cannot make a move, they lose the game.
Conclusion:
Soodu Kottai is a fun and challenging game that has been played in India for centuries. It is a great way to pass the time with friends and family, and it can help develop strategic thinking and planning skills. Give it a try and see if you have what it takes to outsmart your opponent.
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