CHENNAI: One of the fondest childhood memories for Korattur homemaker Rajalakshmi S is spending a lazy afternoon enjoying a game of pallankuzhi with her mother and grandmother. "I could never count as fast as my grandma. She always won," she recalls.
Rajalakshmi, who grew up in Attur, Salem, hasn't played the game since moving to Chennai.
"Had I continued, my kids may have picked it up," says the 48-year-old homemaker.
As pallankuzhi, the traditional mancala game that finds its roots in south India, struggles to remain relevant today, a traditional Turkish strategy and intelligence game 'mangala', which also follows similar principles, recently made it to Unesco's representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
According to Ramanujam R, professor at Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Taramani, the cultural significance of mancala games differs from society to society.
"In some African tribes, the chieftain is always someone who is undefeated in mancala. If he loses a game, his power is questioned," says the professor, who has written research papers on pallankuzhi. Ramanujam, who has analyzed pallankuzhi's mathematical complexities and possibilities, believes the game has vanished from mainstream entertainment due to its absence in formal education.
Jayasree S, a researcher and educator affiliated with the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, says a reason for the game's waning popularity is also its low availability. "Our culturally-rooted games hardly make it to the shelves of a store. We only purchase what we see," says Jayasree.
Pallankuzhi, from south India, is a two-row, seven-pit game that is intertwined with mythological traditions. "The game was supposedly given as a dowry for child brides in the past. There are also mythological links of Sita playing it in Ashoka Vana," says Jayasree, who incorporates pallankuzhi in her mathematical research.
However, organizations such as Kreeda games, have been making an effort to renew this traditional game. "These games started disappearing when the idea of entertainment shifted to cinema, television, computers, and phones," says Vinita Sidhartha, founder of Kreeda.
"When the adults in our communities stopped playing these games, they were rarely passed on to the next generation," says Vinita.
The traditional games' enthusiast has been documenting pallankuzhi's presence globally. "The first time I found a temple with a pallankuzhi inscription was in Palmyra, Syria," she says, adding that she made similar observations of a four-row pallankuzhi inscription at the Mamallapuram Shore Temple.
There are several types of mancala games played across West Asia, Africa, parts of Europe and South Asia. "The number of pits, players and rules may vary according to the version played," she says. The stones used also vary according to the geographical location. In coastal areas for instance, shells are used.
While we can still spot mancala games being played at cafes in West Asian countries, there are not many takers for our game of pallankuzhi. "Though there is a resurgence of some traditional games, they will sustain only if more families start playing them," she says.