GAMES IN GOA

Local Goan Games

CARTANIM

To play this game, some empty cigarette boxes were used, which were thrown from a distance, with the aim to throw a box on another one; If he succeeded to cover the other. Fully or partly, he could take the boxes thrown by both the players.

GOINDO BAL

For this game, two or more players make a team. A small slit is made on the ground. On that the bal is kept. The player places the stick into the slit in the ground asks folle? When the opponent replies folle the bail is shot out. If it is caught by the opponent the player is out, if not the player plays by striking the bail with the goindos. He has to play three times, and at strike the bail once, if not he is out. Points are counted depending on how many times the bail is hit by the goindo. If the bail is hit once, one goindo makes one point, if twice one bal, and if thrice half bal. The counting of points starts from the spot where the bal is upto the slit. The player can also be out of the game while playing, if the bal is caught in the air by the opponent, in this case he is given an option. He can come hopping with the bal in his hand up to the slit, f he successfully reaches the slit, he can continue playing. The winner is the one who gets the highest number of points.

GODDDE (GAME OF MARBLES)

The game was called Bodeanim Khellop or Gushinim Khellop. The Gup is like a punishment for the opposite team. The game can either be played by two, four or six players. However the game is more interesting when played by two on each side.To play the game, a circle is drawn in the middle of the road (it was mostly played on the road)0 called Bodo. The team who wins the toss opts to strike first. One man stands near the Bodo with two marbles. The team which wins the toss goes to a distance of 10 meters and each player throws the marble near the Bodo. The marble that is thrown by the player enters the Bodo or crosses or passes through it, in which case the player standing near the Bodo can drop down the marbles from his hand and stop the passing/crossing marble. If that marble stops near the Bodo, it becomes a bodlo. This means that the player is caught in the Bodo and he cannot play for sometime. Thus even if the other player of the same team had already thrown a marble, with an advantageous position to strike or say, if he was far away from the circle, he has to go back and throw the marble again. If he gets caught in the Bodo like his team member, then the other team gets a chance to throw. In case he succeeds in throwing the marble near the circle, then the three are placed either on the circle, in the middle of the circle, or in a straight line keeping the opposition player marble in the middle.. Now the player has to strike and remove the marble out of the circle.If he manages to remove all three,he can continue with the game and the other player is also free to join him.He continues to strike the opposite player’s marbles. His partner meanwhile, picks up the marble as soon as it is out of the Bodo. Now if this player misses a hit, both the partners go back to the marked line and tries to throw their marbles between the two marbles so that they are equidistant, since the marbles are not allotted to each of them. Hence forth they are supposed to hit only the marble that is allotted to them. If by mistake one player hits the other partner’s marble even while throwing his marble, then it is said to be a Kus and the results in dismissal. If they succeed in making the marble of the opposite players beyond the marked line and if at one point they miss their allotted marbles, then the game comes to an end. Now the Gus starts, the losing players bring their marble with the elbow, holding the earlobe with the hand of the same side. The marble is to be brought in this way up to the Bodo. In case the marble falls into a hole or a ditch, then it is removed with both elbows. Of course there are different variants in the game of Godde.

TABBLAM

The game is played by two players, each of whom is entitled to 12 chips of different colours usually yellow and black. There is a special board with lines and square drawn. They can be drawn on the floor or on the table. There are 12 squares for each player, on which they place the chips. To start the game the player will have to throw the four tabblam (these are four sticks made of bamboo, one side is marked or coloured.) To start moving the chips the player have to throw the Tabblam. Every time the player wants to move a new chip he has to get a tabblam.i.e; 3 coloured on top and one on the reverse. He then moves his chip to the side of the opponent and takes the place of his chips. If the opponents chips continues in the original position he would kill his chip to remove it from the board. The game is over when all the chips from one side are placed in the opponents camp.

LOGORIO(7 TILES)

The game is played by two teams. One team does the fielding and the other has to strike the tiles that are piled on top of each other by throwing the ball. If the player is successful in breaking the pile, he and his teammates run away. Because the opponents can hit them with the ball in which case the team change sides. Therefore the striking team player try their level best to throw the ball. In case of a miss, the running teammates throw the ball as far as possible. In the meantime one or more of them try to remake the pile. Once all the 7 tiles are piled, they shout Logori and the game is over. When the tiles are struck, if any player successfully catches the ball the striker is out.

FATRANIM (5 STONES)

This game was normally played by women. The 5 stones are thrown on the floor, and the player has to pick them one by one, while simultaneously trying to catch the one she throws the second tme, then three and then four at successive times. Then the stones are thrown at the back of the palm, to fall on the ground. Therfore the palm stands on the fingers spread out. The other hand picks up a stone, which is thrown up and before it is caught, one stone at a time must be pushed under the palm. Finally the stones are picked together, after removing the palm. A variant of this game is played with 10 stones instead of 5.

BIYANNI (CASHEWNUTS)

Cashew nuts were used by youngsters to play during the summer. There are 2 types of games. One involving a group who stand at a distance from a tree or a wall. They must throw their cashew nuts. Players whose nut is closer to the wall/tree, is to play first. He throws a bigger cashew but which is called boto, against the floor to bounce on the wall/tree and tries to catch it. If he is successful, he wins the game and can take all the nut s thrown by the other players.

In the second game the players place the cashew nut in a line, with the nut heading the line in standing position. The players stand considerable distance away from the line, approximately 10-15 mts to form a :T” from the line. Then they try to strike the nuts. The nuts in line from one hit by a player are his.

TIKTEM

This is a two player game. Each player has black and yellow pawns. Alternately shells and stones can also be used. A square is divided into smaller squares. Each player alternately places at a shell/stone on the line at the joints and corners. The aim of the player is to complete the line by placing his shell/stone in between. However he also tries to make his own tiktem. When a player completes a tiktem he can take a shell/stone of the other player. The game is over when 3 tiktems are made.

FOTAS (POP GUN)

Fotas is a simple designed item used by boys to play. It is made of hollow bamboo piece of about 9” and another about 3”, it acts as a pistol. Inside the smaller piece a round bamboo rod was fixed. It was an inch smaller than the size of a barrel, which glides smoothly in the hollow of the long bamboo piece. Raw ansavo or tenfold was squeezed in the hollow of the bamboo barrel till it stopped just at the inside end than a second ansavo or tenfold was forced by pushing in the chicaneiro hard, the air inside the barrel compresses, and the first ansavo or tenfold shoots out with a loud bang and the next ansavo or tenfold will be ready to shoot. The seed would strike any object at a distance of 10” – 12” like air gun shot.