Ancient Indian Boardgames: Digital Documentation

Title (dcterms:title)

Kaooa

Description (dcterms:description)

This game was recorded by Hem Chandra Das Gupta and the information was collected during one of his field visits to Gosalpur in the district of Jabalpur, in present Madhya Pradesh. According to Das Gupta this is a peculiar type of tiger play and as the image shows, seven kaooas (crows) and one tiger are necessary for the game. Two players are required for the game; the player with the kaooas tries to checkmate the tiger, while the player with the tiger attempts at capturing all the kaooas by jumping over them according to the ordinary rules of the tiger play. This type of tiger-play is rather interesting, and differs from the type of tiger-play prevalent in Bengal and Orissa in which the number of goats or ballets may be 24, 20, 12 or 3, while the number of tiger may be 1,2 or 4.
Kaooa is a hunt game documented in the early twentieth century in India, but it is probably much older, as graffiti with the pattern of the board have been found at sites such as medieval Vijayanagara. This board also looks like a star and can also be played in the star game.

Alternative Title (dcterms:alternative)

Bagh Bandi, Tigers and Goats, Baghchakkar, Chakrachhal, Sher Bakr, Bagh Batti, Sher Bakar, Kaooa, Bam Blang Beh Khla, Bagha Guti, Tagnor, Adu Puli Attam, Puli Meka, Ada Huli, Terhuchu, Kulaochal, Puli Judham

Rules (dcterms:instructionalMethod)

Played on a five-pointed star shaped board. One player plays with one piece, the "tiger," and the other plays with seven pieces, the "kaooas." The player with the kaooas attempt to checkmate the tiger by moving to one of the points where the lines of the board intersect. The tiger captures kaooas by hopping over them. The tiger wins by capturing all the kaooas.

Creator (dcterms:creator)

Hem Chandra Das Gupta

Source (dcterms:source)

'A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent In The Central Provinces’ by Hem Chandra Das Gupta in Sedentary Games of India eds. Nirbed Ray and Amitabha Ghosh

Contributor (dcterms:contributor)

Hem Chandra Das Gupta

Rights (dcterms:rights)

Creative Commons

Format (dcterms:format)

Boardgames

Medium (dcterms:medium)

Boardgames on Text

References (dcterms:references)

'A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent In The Central Provinces’ by Hem Chandra Das Gupta in Sedentary Games of India

Kaooa- Digital Ludemi Project

Spatial Coverage (dcterms:spatial)

Madhya Pradesh

Variants (dcterms:isVersionOf)

Terhuchu

Tarup Ar Merom (leopards and goats)

Kulaochal

Bagh Chal (variant),Odisha

Bagha Chheli ( Odisha)

Lam Pusri or Sipahi Kat

Baghchakkar or Chakrachal

Sher Bakr

Bagh Batti

Sher Bakar

Taag dha Nor or Tagnor (Tiger and Cow)

Bagh Chal, Kamakhya

Mughal Pathan

Bam Blang Beh Khla

Bagha Guti

Bagh Bandi

Bagh Chal, Bull Temple (4)

Baghchal, Bull Temple (3)

Baghchal, Handmade

Entered by (dcterms:accrualMethod)

Adrija Mukherjee

Notes (foaf:status)

The essay mentions the Central Province which was the term used for the region of Madhya Pradesh during the British Period.

Tags (dcterms:conformsTo)

Sedentary Games

Madhya Pradesh

Bagh Chal

Hunt

Two-player

Capture

Alquerque