SINDHI FOLK GAMES 

OTHER GAMES

Mandak Mandi (Langdi): Children divide themselves into two groups. A circle is drawn and players from one team hop on one leg and get their rival team members in the circle out by touching them.


Fir Fir Saunto: Children sit around in a circle. One player twists a towel and knots it at the end in the shape of a whip called 'Sounto'. The player then runs round and round the seated players twirling the towel overhead repeating 'Fir Fir Sounto'. The seated players reply in unision 'Dabli thee Sunke'. The circling player then quietly drops the towel behind one of the seated players. Players are not allowed to look behind. Punishment is imposed on those who do.they can only feel for the cloth. If not detected by the time the circling player returns, the circling player picks up the 'sounto' and started whipping the seated player. If, however, the seted player finds the 'sounto', she/he can whip the circling player till the circling player settles down in the vacated seat.

Khasto Panjo: Five children sit around in a circle placing their hands palms down on the ground. The leader will tap each child's hand beginning from the one nearest him repeating 'Khasto-Panjo-Khaal samunder-Delhi'. The child whose hand ends with Delhi has to remove hand from the circle. The last hand is the winner. The losers will then stand with folded hands before the winner and the winner will lap their folded hands. If they manage to dodge, they are set free. Else their hands have to be slapped till they escape.

Lika Chhup (Hide-n-seek): It is natural that people like the hide n seek game. Brother and sisters normally play this game at home by hiding behind doors or cupboards. In the same way, the game can be played out-doors. One player shuts his eyes, counts loudly upto fifty, while the others hide in the vicinity. The seeker then says 'liki chhipi jaa-ikajo, noree-ado jaageev tho' and starts searching for the hiders. On spotting a child first, he calls out the hiders name and touches the post saying 'Pahiryon tapu Ramesh'. He repeats the process with the other players. But if one of the players manages to touch the post without being detected, all the spotted players are released and the seeker has to shut his eyes while everyone hides all over again.

Rail Gaadi: Children are fond of the rail way, especially the steam engine as it chugs past their homes and blows its horn. Children arrange themselves in a descending order. One becomes the engine driver while the others become the bogeys and the last one is the guard with a flag in hand. The engine driver makes a chugging noise with the web between the index finger and the thumb placed vertically against his mouth. At intervals he lets out a whistle, and stops at stations to the sounds of tea, coffee, cold drink or bananas.

As can be seen, games in those days were of an innocent nature. Whether played at home, in the courtyard or the street, there was so much interaction and involvement. The games did not involve any expenditure and could be played anytime.

With the advent of television, and more recently cable culture, children in the city have newer pastimes. Most of these have been learnt by watching what happens on the idiot box. Most of the games children play today are video games, gun-toting or plain sitting and staring at the idiot box.

Children in the villages where tv has not yet made a dent still play these games. There is so much wholesomeness and cheer all around. Sadly, we have traded the simplicity and the warmth of these innocent games for the evil of video vision.