Children of my times in 70's and 80's(before the advent of satellite channels) used to play indoor games like pallankuzhi, kuzhangal(pebbles), Paramapadham(snakes and ladders), Daaya kattai, cards etc. along with the above games we played out door games like goli(marbles), bambaram (spinning top), paandi( hopscotch), gilli danda, seven stones(lagori in kannada), kanna mucchi( hidenseek), skipping and other pretend games like teacher – pupil games, chor-police, amma- appa vilayattu which kept us both mentally alert and physically fit.
Native games were excellent learning tools. It helped you to develop sensory visual and motor skills, improved your hand/ eye co-ordination, helped you to count, feel, identify colors, learn numbers and history & mythology. All these while you were having fun. The materials used for the games like wood ,stones, sticks, seeds were also eco-friendly . The games were suitable for all ages and not complicated and so it increased the interaction between the elders and the youngsters and kept them bonded. May be these games added to the native wisdom of our elders who were much wiser.
For instance, Pallankuzhi consists of two panels which are foldable. Each panel consists of 7 hollows and tamarind seeds/small shells are used as coins. This game helps in counting and also activates the nerves on the tips of your finger as you remove the coins from the hollows. Of late this game is also played on mobiles/computers. Here again you play with your finger tips but on a plastic base not of natural wood. It was played during festivals like sivarathri Vaikunta Ekadasi . I too played this game during my childhood days at my grandmother’s place. I have my grandmother’s pallanguzhi and have taught my children to play.
Kuzhangal also called anju kalattam/ezhu kallatam in tamil has five/seven small pebbles. This game is played by throwing one pebble up and collecting the remaining pebbles before the thrown one comes down. I have seen the construction labourers near my complex playing this game during free time. This game helps in hand/eye co-ordination.
Paramapadham is perhaps the origin of the board game snakes and ladders. 100 squares having snakes and ladders some small and some big, here and there. Dice is thrown and the number on the dice will be the moves you make across the board. If you place the move on the base of the ladder you ascend to the top end of the ladder and if you place the move on the mouth of the snake then you descend down to where the tail of the snake ends. This game teaches you to handle success and disappointments alike. This is still played by some of the children.
Daaya kattai: In this game there are many versions like 5 house, 9 house etc. In the 5 house version you make a matrix of 5 rows and columns and stroke off the middle house with a X . Roll the dice and move across the houses on the outer matrix. The innermost middle square is the home/endpoint where you have to reach. To reach the home you have to go around the innermost matrix. To enter in you have to knock off your opponents coins. Here again you and your opponent will have 4 coins each of different make like tamarind seeds, shells, match sticks etc. Usually all coins are taken from nature. Each coin has to reach home . The one who reaches all the coins first is considered the winner. Here the rolling dice is made of wood/metal called daaya kattai. You have to roll the dice with both your palms before you put it on the ground. This rolling of the metal pieces activates all the nerves and help the flow of blood on your palms. I and my friend shammi used to play this game with our neighbouring old aunties. Now sharun and shreya play with my father during summer vacation.
Playing cards was another past time in our house with my mom and atthai ( father’s sister) teaming together against appa and chittappa( father’s brother). It was good relaxation for them after their daily work and it was fun to see them having mock fights saying each one cheated the other.
Not many children of the present generation are even aware of these games. With no play ground near home/school They are addicted to modern form of e- games/satellite channels and also become sure shot candidates for all lifestyle diseases.
Modern games are also good and educative but only they are more expensive and are made from materials which are not perishable. They end up as e-waste and also weaken us physically making our eyes, neck, shoulder and limbs stiff. They pin us down to a postion. The special effect sound is not pleasing to your ears.
I think we as parents should help our kids strike a balance. Teach and educate them about our traditional games and rich past along with their new gizmos & technology.
Today, I am glad many foundations and companies like Marabhu and Kreeda are bridging the gap. Games like pallanguzhi are available in upmarket stores and cultural stores. The games are revived during cultural festivals like Mylapore festival held in Jan at Chennai.
Long live our native games.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
My Paradise - Mylapore
The Mylapore festival starts today. This 4 day festival capsules the lovely vintage life of Mylapore. Kudos to the organizers for organizing such festivals and sending many old mylaporeans down the nostalgic lane.
I am very possessive about mylapore and whenever some one mentions the place, I strongly feel it is mine and i know the place better. Off late, though i must admit I've never visited mylapore much. My two day visit to chennai does not permit to visit this heaven. Sigh!. Anyways, I rewind my memories of my birthplace and favorite vacation spot during the 70’s & 80’s.
Though raised in Bangalore, I and my cousins (minus my sister who was always sticking to my mom’s pallu and stayed back in Bangalore) spent our summer and winter vacation at Mylapore along with my maternal grandparents, uncles and aunts.
My dear Mylapore has a rich history and culture. The beautiful potpourri of colourful flower shops, kunkum shops,vegetable market, sounds of the temple bells & cycle bells of rickshaws and cyclists selling soan papdi, fragrance of flowers and aroma of traditional food, the mada veedhis(streets around temple) filled with jewellery shops like sukra, cloth stores like rasi silks, a divine shop called Giri trading selling all religious and pooja items, Shanthi dresses – the one stop shop for all dancers in India and abroad, Ambika Appalam depot selling appalams, vattals, ready mix powders, Sri vidya manjal kunguma kadai- the shop which religiously follows the adage ‘work is worship. They prepare the best quality manjal & kungumam in the most traditional way, The narrow by lanes dotted with provision stores like Sankar stores, Leo coffee and Prakash coffee, the dabba chetty kadais, thattan kadais( gold smiths), sweet shops selling murukku, thattai, kara sevai, shops selling betel leaves and goli soda. All these and much more surround the heart of Mylapore – The 300 year old Kapali koil.
My grand father instilled in us( cousins) a discipline to attend the temple daily for worship , So it was in our daily routine to visit the huge temple daily after our bath. This temple's gopuram was visible from our terrace on kutcheri road. An average mylaporean’s life revolved around this temple. The locality owes its name to this temple, also called Mayilapuri( the city of peacock). The temple has a big pond/tank called Chittiraikulam .
During the teppam( float festival) held here There is a small mantap in the center of this huge tank and the God is taken to the center of this mantap on a float decorated with beautiful serial lights late in the evening. There are many petty shops pitched up here during festival time selling bangles, chains, toys, dresses etc. During Chariot Festival (Ther), my uncles used to go to pull the ther(chariot) with all the people stamping one another's feet. Residents of mada street used to throw water from rooftops to keep the devotees away from the scorching sun. Next day "Arupathu Moovar", Patti and mami's would be busy churning the curd to make 'neer more'( butter milk). We would take the neer more,sit on the steps of senghazhineer pillaiyar koil and offer to passersby to quench their thirst.By late evening the utsava murthy's like vellai sami( deity) used to pass by our house in a chariot. We would come out of our house to offer coconut and camphor to the god pasing by our door step. Every temple festival was like a festival at home for us.
Just visualizing all these transports me to an atmosphere charged with festivity.
There are also many traditional houses around the mada veedhi called agraharams which are residences of practicing Brahmins. These houses have seating place outside the house called 'thinnai' and all these houses have open courtyard in the middle of the house with a tulsi maadam(Brindavan). The dhoti clad mamas and madisar mamis here wake up to the melodius suprabhatam( a song played in the morning to wake up) and to the aroma of the kapi. The way this degree kapi is made in these households is a delight to watch.The kapi is served in steel tumbler and davara(rimmed saucer). The liquid is cooled from the tumbler to the davara and back without spilling. The end product is a frothy cup of kapi in the steel tumbler which would put any expresso/capuccino out of race.
Many traditional economical eateries like Karpagambal mess, rayars café where tastes are simple divine dot here.
A little away from the tank is The Luz corner. Another shoppers paradise, where you can shop till you drop at crores & crores, Trillions & trillions, millions & millions,shanti vihar complex, Kasi cut piece corner, vitan super market. Bow your head to Luz vinayagar here, have a bite of cake at Universal Bakery and a cool sip of flavored milk at Aavin, buy the best hosiery at reasonable rates at Hari’s and head into Kutcheri road.
All a mylaporean had to do was to list his tasks and finish it off with a walk around the temple.
Mylaporeans are blessed to have many temples, churches and mosques in their vicinity. Along with kapali koil you have the mundakanni amman koil, senghazhineer pillaiyar koil, Madhavaperumal koil, luz navasakthi vinayakar, Luz anjaneyar, karaneeswararkoil, the sai baba koil and many more.
It also boasts of a beautiful beach called Santhome beach. On the shores of the beach is the santhome cathedral.
You can walk to the best of sabhas ( cultural academy) here at Bhaaratiya vidya bhavan, Vani Mahal, Mylapore fine arts club ,Narada Gana Sabha Parthasarathy gana sabha etc. where the music fest is conducted every december. This fest is unparalleled in the world.
The best of educational institutions like Lady sivaswami ayyar girls school( my mom and perimma's school), P.S senior secondary school( sundar mama's school), Rosary matriculation where ramani chitti schooled, St. Bede's ( ravi mama's school), Vidya mandir and many more are located here.
Very good music and instrumental teachers had their houses here, Like Veenai Pitchumani, MSS. Mrs. Meenakshi ammal, the author of the most famous cook book 'cook & see' stayed right opposite the teppa kulam.
Today many new establishments have been set up around mylapore like Citi center mall and other glass facaded buildings. They co- exist with all the small shops selling jewels, silks and flowers serving as a gentle reminder that some things never change and are here to stay. This place has still retained its old world charm and today links and blends the tradition & modernity.
Mylapore, - a blessed place is a paradise for me.
I am very possessive about mylapore and whenever some one mentions the place, I strongly feel it is mine and i know the place better. Off late, though i must admit I've never visited mylapore much. My two day visit to chennai does not permit to visit this heaven. Sigh!. Anyways, I rewind my memories of my birthplace and favorite vacation spot during the 70’s & 80’s.
Though raised in Bangalore, I and my cousins (minus my sister who was always sticking to my mom’s pallu and stayed back in Bangalore) spent our summer and winter vacation at Mylapore along with my maternal grandparents, uncles and aunts.
My dear Mylapore has a rich history and culture. The beautiful potpourri of colourful flower shops, kunkum shops,vegetable market, sounds of the temple bells & cycle bells of rickshaws and cyclists selling soan papdi, fragrance of flowers and aroma of traditional food, the mada veedhis(streets around temple) filled with jewellery shops like sukra, cloth stores like rasi silks, a divine shop called Giri trading selling all religious and pooja items, Shanthi dresses – the one stop shop for all dancers in India and abroad, Ambika Appalam depot selling appalams, vattals, ready mix powders, Sri vidya manjal kunguma kadai- the shop which religiously follows the adage ‘work is worship. They prepare the best quality manjal & kungumam in the most traditional way, The narrow by lanes dotted with provision stores like Sankar stores, Leo coffee and Prakash coffee, the dabba chetty kadais, thattan kadais( gold smiths), sweet shops selling murukku, thattai, kara sevai, shops selling betel leaves and goli soda. All these and much more surround the heart of Mylapore – The 300 year old Kapali koil.
My grand father instilled in us( cousins) a discipline to attend the temple daily for worship , So it was in our daily routine to visit the huge temple daily after our bath. This temple's gopuram was visible from our terrace on kutcheri road. An average mylaporean’s life revolved around this temple. The locality owes its name to this temple, also called Mayilapuri( the city of peacock). The temple has a big pond/tank called Chittiraikulam .
During the teppam( float festival) held here There is a small mantap in the center of this huge tank and the God is taken to the center of this mantap on a float decorated with beautiful serial lights late in the evening. There are many petty shops pitched up here during festival time selling bangles, chains, toys, dresses etc. During Chariot Festival (Ther), my uncles used to go to pull the ther(chariot) with all the people stamping one another's feet. Residents of mada street used to throw water from rooftops to keep the devotees away from the scorching sun. Next day "Arupathu Moovar", Patti and mami's would be busy churning the curd to make 'neer more'( butter milk). We would take the neer more,sit on the steps of senghazhineer pillaiyar koil and offer to passersby to quench their thirst.By late evening the utsava murthy's like vellai sami( deity) used to pass by our house in a chariot. We would come out of our house to offer coconut and camphor to the god pasing by our door step. Every temple festival was like a festival at home for us.
Just visualizing all these transports me to an atmosphere charged with festivity.
There are also many traditional houses around the mada veedhi called agraharams which are residences of practicing Brahmins. These houses have seating place outside the house called 'thinnai' and all these houses have open courtyard in the middle of the house with a tulsi maadam(Brindavan). The dhoti clad mamas and madisar mamis here wake up to the melodius suprabhatam( a song played in the morning to wake up) and to the aroma of the kapi. The way this degree kapi is made in these households is a delight to watch.The kapi is served in steel tumbler and davara(rimmed saucer). The liquid is cooled from the tumbler to the davara and back without spilling. The end product is a frothy cup of kapi in the steel tumbler which would put any expresso/capuccino out of race.
Many traditional economical eateries like Karpagambal mess, rayars café where tastes are simple divine dot here.
A little away from the tank is The Luz corner. Another shoppers paradise, where you can shop till you drop at crores & crores, Trillions & trillions, millions & millions,shanti vihar complex, Kasi cut piece corner, vitan super market. Bow your head to Luz vinayagar here, have a bite of cake at Universal Bakery and a cool sip of flavored milk at Aavin, buy the best hosiery at reasonable rates at Hari’s and head into Kutcheri road.
All a mylaporean had to do was to list his tasks and finish it off with a walk around the temple.
Mylaporeans are blessed to have many temples, churches and mosques in their vicinity. Along with kapali koil you have the mundakanni amman koil, senghazhineer pillaiyar koil, Madhavaperumal koil, luz navasakthi vinayakar, Luz anjaneyar, karaneeswararkoil, the sai baba koil and many more.
It also boasts of a beautiful beach called Santhome beach. On the shores of the beach is the santhome cathedral.
You can walk to the best of sabhas ( cultural academy) here at Bhaaratiya vidya bhavan, Vani Mahal, Mylapore fine arts club ,Narada Gana Sabha Parthasarathy gana sabha etc. where the music fest is conducted every december. This fest is unparalleled in the world.
The best of educational institutions like Lady sivaswami ayyar girls school( my mom and perimma's school), P.S senior secondary school( sundar mama's school), Rosary matriculation where ramani chitti schooled, St. Bede's ( ravi mama's school), Vidya mandir and many more are located here.
Very good music and instrumental teachers had their houses here, Like Veenai Pitchumani, MSS. Mrs. Meenakshi ammal, the author of the most famous cook book 'cook & see' stayed right opposite the teppa kulam.
Today many new establishments have been set up around mylapore like Citi center mall and other glass facaded buildings. They co- exist with all the small shops selling jewels, silks and flowers serving as a gentle reminder that some things never change and are here to stay. This place has still retained its old world charm and today links and blends the tradition & modernity.
Mylapore, - a blessed place is a paradise for me.
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