How to play pallanguzhi , Akka? is a question every older sibling hears when all the cousins gather! Much like today’s modern board games, pallanguzhi was a serious affair. Fights and arguments would break out, not over the outcome but about who gets to play first. But, alas, it never mattered if you learnt how to play pallanguzhi a week ago or five years ago. The game board has room for two players only, and the oldest siblings of the group would often be the ones to go first while the little ones cheered on and screamed in frustration while they sat on the sidelines. But, of course, you’d know which ones were the favourites soon enough!
Large wooden Mancala board with small counters in the wells
My grandmother’s house was nothing short of a riot in the summers. Screaming children, small puddles of spilt buttermilk in the corridors, and at least one child shouting with tears trailing down their face, “Teach me how to play pallanguzhi amma!” followed by complaints about how the older ones wouldn’t let them play. Because, in their eyes, the game seemed simple enough, and all you needed were deft fingers to swiftly scoop up the counters and transfer them from well to well.
However, they couldn’t be more wrong. Pallanguzhi is a game of strategy and mathematical calculation. One would have to be entirely focused as they tried to beat their opponent, taking all the counters for themselves at the end.
How To Play Pallanguzhi : A Game Rarely Found On Store Shelves
Pallanguzhi, also known as Pallanguli or Aligulimane, is a traditional two-player board game that belongs to the Mancala family. It has been around for centuries and was once a common sight in the backyards of South Indian family homes, making it a cultural heritage icon for many.
A pallanguzhi board is traditionally flat but also crafted as a folded wooden board for easy transport. The board has two parallel rows of small carved wells or cups that hold each of the counters. Each row has seven small wells or cups and one large well on either end to store the collected counters.
Teak Wood Pallanguzhi Board
With the release of modern board and card games into the market, the trusty wooden pallanguzhi board has taken a backseat. Instead, it is now commonly found in online marketplaces, and if you want to hold one before you buy it, a long road trip is in order. Small shops along highway rest stops, near temple complexes, and tourist destinations often sell locally crafted pallanguzhi boards in different sizes and wood types for your little ones to explore!
How To Play Pallanguzhi : The Tools You’ll Need
Despite having played the game when I was younger, I always dreaded the ” How to play pallanguzhi , Akka?” question. Do we start from the same well we ended? How do I pick the next well? These little doubts would creep into my mind as I tried hard to remember how to play pallanguzhi correctly. But now, my thoughts are in order, and here I am, telling you how it is done right! But before we begin, let us delve into the different kinds of Pallalmguzhi boards and counters around us!
A simple Foldable Brass Pallanguzhi Board
Pallanguzhi boards:
Pallanguzhi boards are most commonly made of carved, sanded and polished wood (country wood or teak wood). Some examples, old or simply opulent, are carved out in rustic or polished stone slabs. Brass is also used to make these stunning boards, some crafted with foldable hollow forms or set on four clawfoot legs and bells hanging along the edge.
An image showing different counters used to play pallanguzhi
Pallanguzhi counters:
To be completely honest, we didn’t quite pick and choose when it came time to play the game. Tamarind seeds were in plenty, but some personal collections had cowrie shells that looked beautiful when settled into the wells on the board. On rare occasions, we borrowed marbles and small stones from our brothers, carefully balancing them on top of each other while we counted down the row of wells.
How To Play Pallanguzhi : Start To Finish
There are some general rules to follow while playing the game of Pallanguzhi.
Each player controls one row of wells and one storage well to collect the counters. The game always moves in the counterclockwise direction. The objective of the game is to collect as many counters as possible in your storage well, of course, by continually trying to outmanoeuvre your opponent.
a) Begin by placing four counters in each well, totalling 48 on the entire board.
b) The game starts with one player picking up the counters from any one of their wells.
c) Moving counterclockwise, the player distributes the counters one by one into the following wells, including their storage well, but skipping the one on the opponent’s side.
d) If the last counter falls into an empty well on the player’s side, they capture that counter and any counters in the opponent’s pit that is directly opposite.
e) The captured counters are then placed into the player’s storage well.
f) Players take turns in this manner, continuously redistributing the counters until one side of the board is empty.
g) Once a player’s side is empty, the opponent collects the remaining counters from their side and places them in their storage well.
h) The player with the maximum number of counters in their storage well at the end wins the game.
How To Play Pallanguzhi : Child Skill Development
While a good old afternoon session of Pallanguzhi may seem nothing but recreational at first, the game is a great tool to assist in your child’s development! While the game may seem difficult to explain initially, you’ll be so glad to have answered the “Teach me how to play pallanguzhi amma!” question!
Here’s how playing Pallanguzhi can help your little one!
- In Developing Mathematical Skills: Pallanguzhi provides a unique opportunity for children to enhance their mathematical skills by helping them count, recognize numbers, and add and subtract counters!
- Strategic Thinking: Winning the game of pallanguzhi takes more than just luck or chance. Players often have to think ahead and plan their moves while predicting the outcome. This helps the little ones develop critical thinking skills and in making informed decisions that come with rewards and consequences.
- Social and Emotional benefits: Playing face-to-face with opponents helps the little ones develop social skills, improves their concentration and focus, and teaches them to be patient and appreciate delayed gratification, unlike what chaotic games on digital devices allow. It also allows them to connect to their roots and preserve their cultural heritage.
In Conclusion…
Pallanguzhi is more than just a simple game. It is cultural heritage, a skill development tool, and a beautiful traditional game that brings people together!
And that is why we keep beautiful vintage and new Pallanguzhi boards at our studio and listed on our website for you all to explore! Click here to take a look at them!
And if you’re in the market for vintage pieces that speak of the past, click here!
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Play Pallanguzhi?
a) Begin by placing four counters in each well, totalling 48 on the entire board.
b) The game starts with one player picking up the counters from any one of their wells.
c) Moving counterclockwise, the player distributes the counters one by one into the following wells, including their storage well, but skipping the one on the opponent’s side.
d) If the last counter falls into an empty well on the player’s side, they capture that counter and any counters in the opponent’s pit that is directly opposite.
e) The captured counters are then placed into the player’s storage well.
f) Players take turns in this manner, continuously redistributing the counters until one side of the board is empty.
g) Once a player’s side is empty, the opponent collects the remaining counters from their side and places them in their storage well.
h) The player with the maximum number of counters in their storage well at the end wins the game.
What are the pallanguzhi Game Rules
Each player controls one row of wells and one storage well to collect the counters. The game always moves in the counterclockwise direction. The objective of the game is to collect as many counters as possible in your storage well, of course, by continually trying to outmanoeuvre your opponent.
What is Pallanguzhi called in English?
Pallanguzhi, also known as Pallanguli or Aligulimane, is a traditional two-player board game that belongs to the ” Mancala ” board game family.
How to pronounce Pallanguzhi?
Pallanguzhi can be pronounced as PallanGuli
What are the benefits of playing Pallanguzhi
Here’s how playing Pallanguzhi can help your little one!
In Developing Mathematical Skills: Pallanguzhi provides a unique opportunity for children to enhance their mathematical skills by helping them count, recognize numbers, and add and subtract counters!
Strategic Thinking: Winning the game of pallanguzhi takes more than just luck or chance. Players often have to think ahead and plan their moves while predicting the outcome. This helps the little ones develop critical thinking skills and in making informed decisions that come with rewards and consequences.
Social and Emotional benefits: Playing face-to-face with opponents helps the little ones develop social skills, improves their concentration and focus, and teaches them to be patient and appreciate delayed gratification, unlike what chaotic games on digital devices allow. It also allows them to connect to their roots and preserve their cultural heritage.
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