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Bagh Chal (variant),Odisha
This game was documented by Hem Chandra Das Gupta and the informant was from Orissa. He explains this game as a simpler version of Tiger Play, or a variant of Tiger and Goats where two players play this game, one representing the tiger and one representing the goats. It is played with one piece of tiger and twelve goats. The goats are all first placed at cross-points and then the usual game follows of Bagh Chal. Although the rule of how many goats are to be captured by the tiger before being trapped and out of moves is not mentioned in the essay. He also states that this variant of Bagh Chal is similar and also a variant of another game called Kulaochal played by the Ho community in Kolhan and he draws this similarity from D.N Majumdar in his work on the games of Ho in Kolhan. He also mentions that although the similarities there are differences present in the two variants. He also compares this game with the game of Rimoe or Rimau in Indonesia. One major similarity between the two lies in the fact that before the beginning of the game, the player representing the goats is supposed to place all their pieces at cross-points. It is also noteworthy that the structure of this board is similar to that of Mughal Pathan or other alquerque boards of Bagh Chal. -
Bagh Chal, Bull Temple (4)
The Basavanagudi Bull temple is a popular pilgrim location and is famous for largest stone carving of Nandi, the vahana (vehicle) of Lord Shiva. This temple was built by Kempe Gowda who was also known as the founder of Bangalore. The temple also has a lot of local folklore about villagers worshipping the bull. Hence from the time of its origin to present day, it is frequented by tourists, pilgrims and local people of the region. This graffiti board lies on the left side of the porch. The temple is built in Vijaynagara style with the Nandi idol in the centre and porches on both sides. The image shows a Bagh Chal Board on the left side of one of the porches of the temple complex. A total of four kinds of Bagh Chal boards were documented from the Bull Temple. Bagh Chal or Tigers and Goats is an ancient hunt game that has been popular in many regions of the world. The board of Bagh Chal is part of the alquerque family which traces its history to the Moors of Spain in their Libro de Los juegos (book of games) commissioned by Alfonso X in the 13th century. Although the rules were first found there, the history of alquerque goes further back to Egypt and to a name mentioned in the Kitab-al-Aghani (book of songs) as Kirkat or Al-Kirkat. Besides reference in literature similar game boards have been found both in practice amongst players in various communities as well as in archaeological sites. Bagh Chal has many variants, and is known by different names all over India, Nepal, Bhutan and other countries of South Asia. The structure of the board, the number of pieces and the variants in the rules may vary from place to place but the intention of winning remains the same. It is a two-player game where one individual represents the tiger and the other represents the goats. The number of tigers vary from one to even five in some games while the number of goats can be twenty or less or more depending on the structure of the board and the rules popular to the region. -
Bagh Chal, Bull Temple (1)
This incised or etched Bagh Chal board has been documented from Basavanagudi Bull temple in Bangalore, from one of the temple porches. Bagh Chal or Tigers and Goats is an ancient hunt game that has been popular in many regions of the world. The board of Bagh Chal is part of the alquerque family which traces its history to the Moors of Spain in their Libro de Los juegos (book of games) commissioned by Alfonso X in the 13th century. Although the rules were first found there, the history of alquerque goes further back to Egypt and to a name mentioned in the Kitab-al-Aghani (book of songs) as Kirkat or Al-Kirkat. Besides reference in literature similar game boards have been found both in practice amongst players in various communities as well as in archaeological sites. Bagh Chal has many variants, and is known by different names all over India, Nepal, Bhutan and other countries of South Asia. The structure of the board, the number of pieces and the variants in the rules may vary from place to place but the intention of winning remains the same. It is a two-player game where one individual represents the tiger and the other represents the goats. The number of tigers vary from one to even five in some games while the number of goats can be twenty or less or more depending on the structure of the board and the rules popular to the region. The Basavanagudi Bull temple is a popular pilgrim location and is famous for largest stone carving of Nandi, the vahana (vehicle) of Lord Shiva. This temple was built by Kempe Gowda who was also known as the founder of Bangalore. The temple also has a lot of local folklore about villagers worshipping the bull. Hence from the time of its origin to present day, it is frequented by tourists, pilgrims and local people of the region. This graffiti board lies on the left side of the porch. The temple is built in Vijaynagara style with the Nandi idol in the centre and porches on both sides. -
Bagh Chal, Bull Temple (2)
This incised or etched Bagh Chal board has been documented from Basavanagudi Bull temple in Bangalore, from one of the temple porches. Bagh Chal or Tigers and Goats is an ancient hunt game that has been popular in many regions of the world. The board of Bagh Chal is part of the alquerque family which traces its history to the Moors of Spain in their Libro de Los juegos (book of games) commissioned by Alfonso X in the 13th century. Although the rules were first found there, the history of alquerque goes further back to Egypt and to a name mentioned in the Kitab-al-Aghani (book of songs) as Kirkat or Al-Kirkat. Besides reference in literature similar game boards have been found both in practice amongst players in various communities as well as in archaeological sites. Bagh Chal has many variants, and is known by different names all over India, Nepal, Bhutan and other countries of South Asia. The structure of the board, the number of pieces and the variants in the rules may vary from place to place but the intention of winning remains the same. It is a two-player game where one individual represents the tiger and the other represents the goats. The number of tigers vary from one to even five in some games while the number of goats can be twenty or less or more depending on the structure of the board and the rules popular to the region. The Basavanagudi Bull temple is a popular pilgrim location and is famous for largest stone carving of Nandi, the vahana (vehicle) of Lord Shiva. This temple was built by Kempe Gowda who was also known as the founder of Bangalore. The temple also has a lot of local folklore about villagers worshipping the bull. Hence from the time of its origin to present day, it is frequented by tourists, pilgrims and local people of the region. This graffiti board lies on the right side of the porch. The temple is built in Vijaynagara style with the Nandi idol in the centre and porches on both sides. -
Bagh Chal, Ellora
This etched or incised Bagh Chal game board has been documented from the Kailash temple (cave 16) of Ellora. Bagh Chal or Tigers and Goats is an ancient hunt game that has been popular in many regions of the world. The board of Bagh Chal is part of the alquerque family which traces its history to the Moors of Spain in their Libro de Los juegos (book of games) commissioned by Alfonso X in the 13th century. Although the rules were first found there, the history of alquerque goes further back to Egypt and to a name mentioned in the Kitab-al-Aghani (book of songs) as Kirkat or Al-Kirkat. Besides reference in literature similar game boards have been found both in practice amongst players in various communities as well as in archaeological sites. Bagh Chal has many variants, and is known by different names all over India, Nepal, Bhutan and other countries of South Asia. The structure of the board, the number of pieces and the variants in the rules may vary from place to place but the intention of winning remains the same. It is a two-player game where one individual represents the tiger and the other represents the goats. The number of tigers vary from one to even five in some games while the number of goats can be twenty or less or more depending on the structure of the board and the rules popular to the region. The construction of the Kailash temple roughly dates back to the reign of Krishna I (756 – 774 CE) of the Rashtrakuta dynasty according to the Vadodara copper plate inscription. This copper inscription records and mentions Krishna I as the patron of the Kailashnatha temple and also mentions a shiva temple at Elapura or Ellora present day. This particular carving has been found beside a series of fire altars in the Kailash temple. This board quite interestingly has a lot of similarities to another Tigers and Goat board documented in Orissa by Hem Chandra Das Gupta in Sedentary Games of India (Das Gupta 1999 :92). That variant was played by one tiger and twelve goats. Although it is difficult to assess the rules for the board found at Kailash Temple it is a possibility to trace similar rules of Bagh-Chal played in the region of Maharashtra. -
Bagh Chal, Kamakhya
The game of Bagh Chal, popular by several other regional variants and alternate names has also been documented in the Kamakhya temple region of Assam by Jatindra Mohan Datta. He mentions recording this game from two boys of Nepali descent who were seen playing the game at that time. The location of the board as per his observation in 1939 was on the western side of the temple complex a few yards away from the stone wall built by Narak Asura. This board was engraved and the boys were seen playing this with 2 tigers and 20 pieces of goats. -
Bagh Chal, Pataleshwar (3)
This Bagh Chal board has been recorded from the pillared halls of the main cave in the second row facing the main shrine of the cave site of Pataleshwar. Bagh Chal or Tigers and Goats is an ancient hunt game that has been popular in many regions of the world. The board of Bagh Chal is part of the alquerque family which traces its history to the Moors of Spain in their Libro de Los juegos (book of games) commissioned by Alfonso X in the 13th century. Although the rules were first found there, the history of alquerque goes further back to Egypt and to a name mentioned in the Kitab-al-Aghani (book of songs) as Kirkat or Al-Kirkat. Besides reference in literature similar game boards have been found both in practice amongst players in various communities as well as in archaeological sites. Bagh Chal has many variants, and is known by different names all over India, Nepal, Bhutan and other countries of South Asia. The structure of the board, the number of pieces and the variants in the rules may vary from place to place but the intention of winning remains the same. It is a two-player game where one individual represents the tiger and the other represents the goats. The number of tigers vary from one to even five in some games while the number of goats can be twenty or less or more depending on the structure of the board and the rules popular to the region. Pataleshwar cave complex are a small group of five excavations, developed into a cave temple dedicated to Pataleshwar, God of the underworld or Shiva. This cave complex is ruggedly excavated and also bears resemblance with the Elephanta caves of Mumbai. The cave has unfinished murals on the sides and on the backside. There is a Nandi pavilion at the entrance of the cave which is circular. The inside of the main cave contains a pillared hall with a pradakshinapatha the way to go around the shrine. One side of the cave remains unfinished. This and other boardgames were documented on the floor of the cave. -
Bagh Chal: Downloadable Game
This is a downloadable resource to help you learn Baghchal