Communication and Holistic Development to teach kids street games at Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology

AHMEDABAD: When was the last time you saw a group of children playing a game of 'Gili Danda'? It will be difficult question to answer for most of us.
This summer however, groups of children will be seen playing various traditional street games like Nagolchu, Vartul No Raja, Indu, Gili Danda, Dhamal Dhoko, Pagathia and such other games at the campus of Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University.With a multipronged ideas including protecting these games from extinction as well as inculcation like skills, faculty and staff members of the University will be teaching these games to the children as a part of the summer camp.
The three weeks long summer-camp which is organized by center for Communication and Holistic Development (CHD) at CEPT will accommodate around 30 children will begin from May 7.
"It is very important that the young children learn about these traditional games. The street games are good means for children to learn about how to socialize with their friends, neighbors and other people as they grow up. Apart from this, these games which are a part of our cultural heritage are fading away. By teaching them to the children we want to pass this heritage on to the future generations," said coordinator at CHD, Mithun Khandwala.
Staffs and faculties at CEPT University will volunteer to teach the children the street games. Comparing the values of the traditional games and the modern digital games Khandwala said, "Children confine themselves to playing various types of digital. There is no social activity involved in playing these games as the children play alone. Most of these games are very aggressive and violent. It gets into their minds as they grow up and this is reflected in the violent nature of the teenagers and youths at various parts of the world today."
The workshop will be held from Monday to Friday over a span of three weeks between 9am to 12 pm. The children will also be taught about art and culture, life skills, management and design.
"As a part of the traditional practices that are imparting to the children, we will be teaching them various home remedies like 'how to use turmeric to heal scars', 'honey and ginger could cure coughing' and so on. We will also organize a heritage walk for the children as well as sensitize them about nature as a part of the camp," said Rinku Bhagat, programme coordinator with CHD.
Nagolchu
The game is played between two teams. Seven small plates of stone are piled up. A member of one team will throw a ball to break the pile while the opposite team will attempt to assemble the broken pile of stones. The first team will try to hit the other members of the other team who are attempting to pile up the stones. Each member who is hit will be out of the game.
Vartul No Raja
A team of players stand in a circle. One or more players stand inside the circle. Those players standing on the circle try to hit the players inside the circle with a ball. Those who get hit get eliminated from the game. Rather than winning or loosing, the game is more for agility and fun.
Pagathia
Ten compartments are chalked out with lines. The first player has to throw a stone called kakoti in the first compartment. Standing on one leg, the player tries to kick the stone to the next box and then the next till all the boxes are complete. The player fails if the stone falls on the line of the other leg drops to the ground. The failure of the first player gives a chance for the second player to try the feat.
Dhamal Dhoko
A team of players are sitting in a circle facing towards the centre of the circle. Two selected players with handkerchiefs in their hands will run around the players attempting to secretly drop the handkerchief behind one of the players. The player who was not aware that the handkerchief has been dropped behind him will have to get up and replace the one who was running.