India is, with China, one of the geographical territories where more board games were invented. Over the years, new forms of gambling have evolved and grown, such as online casino games.But since the traditional never die, the 5 traditional games that originated in India and currently have millions of followers around the world.
Carrom
The carrom game originated in the Indian subcontinent, being invented by the Maharajas, although there is no concrete evidence available. Carrom made of glass is still available in one of the palaces in Patiala, India. In 1988 the International Carrom Federation was formed in Chennai, India.
Kabaddi
This outdoor game originated in the ancient Tamil region, which is predominant today in the state of Tamil Nadu and parts of other southern states of India.The Tamil Empire extended this game to Southeast Asia during its maritime trade. The word ‘Kabaddi’ descends from the Tamil word ‘kai-pidi’ which means ‘holding hands’.
Ludo
Ludo, like Parcheesi, derives from the game pachisi originating in India in the 6th century and the earliest evidence of this game in India is the representation of boards in the Ajanta caves.The Mughal emperors of India played this game. A significant gamer was Emperor Akbar.In England, pachisi was modified to use dice and was patented as “Ludo” in 1896.
Chess
Chess is an ancient Indian strategy game that developed during the Gupta Empire around the 6th century AD. The chess we play today is the latest version of the Indian game ‘Chaturanga’, which in turn is the most likely ancestor of the Eastern strategy games ‘Shogi’, ‘Xiangqi’.
Snakes and Ladders
Snakes and Ladders is an ancient Indian board game considered today as a world classic. It is played between two or more players on numbered squares. In ancient India, this game was called “Moksha Patam”, although its name varies between different regions and countries.
