Treasures From the Past – Unit 1: Sports and Games

Question-and-answer flashcards covering the historical origins, evolution, and key facts about traditional Indian sports and games highlighted in the lecture.

What was chess called in ancient India during the Gupta Empire?

Chaturanga

Which two features of Chaturanga still exist in modern chess?

Each piece has different powers, and the aim is to capture a single piece—the king.

By what name did the Persians know Chaturanga?

Shatranj

Which civilisation’s archaeological sites show evidence of chess-like board games?

The Indus Valley Civilisation

Which traditional Indian board game is the direct precursor of modern Ludo?

Pachisi (also known as Chaupar)

In which century is Pachisi known to have been played?

As early as the 6th century

Who famously used the game Pachisi to trick the Pandavas in the Mahabharata?

Shakuni

Who patented the modern version of Ludo, and in what year?

Alfred Collier in 1896

Name two equipment changes Alfred Collier made when patenting Ludo.

Replaced rectangular dice with cubic dice and added a dice cup to reduce cheating.

Give two ancient Indian names for the game now called Snakes and Ladders.

Gyan Chaupar and Mokshapat (also Moksha Patamu)

Who is credited with creating Snakes and Ladders, and in which century?

Saint Gyandev in the 13th century CE

Under what name was Snakes and Ladders marketed in the United States?

Chutes and Ladders

Which three traditional indoor games mentioned are still popular: one using shells, one using marbles, and one using wooden discs?

Cowrie (seeds/shells), Lakhoti (marbles), and Carrom

In which Indian state is Kho-Kho believed to have originated?

Maharashtra

What year saw the invention of the modern form of Kho-Kho?

1914

What is the name of India’s professional Kho-Kho league launched in August 2022?

Ultimate Kho-Kho

Which battle formation from the Mahabharata resembles Kho-Kho’s ring-play defence?

The chakravyuh broken by Abhimanyu

Kabaddi originated in which Indian state?

Tamil Nadu

Which country recognises Kabaddi as its national sport?

Bangladesh

At which Olympic Games was Kabaddi demonstrated internationally?

The 1936 Berlin Olympics

Name any two Indian states where Kabaddi is an official state game.

Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Punjab, or Telangana (any two)

From which earlier pastime did modern badminton develop in British India?

Battledore and shuttlecock

In what year was badminton introduced in Europe?

1873