National Sports Day 2021: 10 Traditional Games Of India That Are Almost Extinct

Every year National Sports Day is celebrated on 29 August, which marks the birth anniversary of legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand Singh. The day is celebrated to make people aware of the importance of sports and also to give recognition to the deserving players of India.

Sports hold a crucial part in the growth and development of children. Among the kids of the previous generation, outdoor games were popular and they played a huge role in enhancing their physical and mental health. Children used to run to the ground after their school to play pitto, kancha, and gilli danda. Their enthusiasm was several times more than the kids of today's generation who spent most of their time playing video games.

As the time and culture of sports have changed, the traditional games of India are on the verge of extinction. Mentioned below are some of the Indian games which are on the brink of extinction.

1. Gilli Danda: This game needs no introduction. The game is played with two types of sticks; gilli which is usually three inches small and tapered at the ends and danda of two feet long used to hit the gilli.

2. Pithoo: Also known as lagori, this game has a different fan base. The game is played with a stack of stones and a ball. Here, one team knocks the stack of stones and runs. At the same time, they rearrange it while the other team throws the ball at the opposing team to mark them 'out'.

3. Kancha: This game of coloured marbles is a favourite in villages and rural areas. The coloured marbles are called kancha. In the game, a player has to hit the target with a perfect aim and win marbles from the other player.

4. Kho-kho: Earlier, kho-kho used to be the mandatory game at schools and colleges. The game is played among two teams with 9 players each. The chaser from one team has to catch the runner of another team in a limited time.

5. Lattoo: Who doesn't know the spinning top? Lattoo is a game in which a top made of wood is spun on a nail attached to its bottom. A thick thread wrapped around the lower half of it makes the top spin on the ground.

6. Chain: In this game, a denner catches a player and the caught player joins in the chain of players by holding hands. Likewise, players are added in the chain after they are caught by the denner while the last one becomes a winner.

7. Kith-kith: This is a popular game among girls. In the game, rectangular patterns are made on the ground and numbered accordingly. Then a player throws an object in the numbered spaces and hops to retrieve the object.

8. Chhupam Chhupai: Commonly known as hide and seek, the game is played by many children in different parts of the world. In the game, the denner closes his/her eyes and count numbers while the other players hide themselves to be searched by the denner.

9. Lock And Key: In India, the game is also known as vish amrit. The denner touches a player and give them vish (lock). He/she remains still until the other players come and give him/her amrit (key). The game ends when all players are locked and no one is left to provide them with the key.

10. Raja Mantri Chor Sipahi: The game is played by four members in four small slips of paper. The four papers are tagged as 'Raja', 'Mantri', 'Chor', and 'Sipahi' and folded. In the game, Sipahi has to think and catch the Chor among the other three to avail the points.