BBY is Bhooli Bisari Yaadein (Long forgotten memories). Here I bring you with the most exciting and enticing journey to Bhooli Bisari Yaadein, which given an option we would want to live again. Most of the games that I write about are local region specific games. I am pretty sure everybody of my generation might have played these games sometime as a kid, though with slight variation or under different name tag. This time the game I will be writing about is called
Lagori (Lag lag lagori)
In simple words if I have to define this game, “Lagori is a game consisting of two teams, where in one team tries to break the Lagori (i.e. tower of 7 small tile slabs) by hitting it from a distance with the a rubber ball (size of cricket ball) and after breaking it, attempts to restore the tower while other team is trying to get them out by either catching the ball during the breaking attempt or after the break hitting opposite team member with the ball before they restore the Lagori.”
Lagori is a simple game played between two teams, where one team tries to break and restore the Lagori and another tries to get the first team out. When you have two teams there is always commotion of deciding the team members as every body wants to be with the best player’s team. Being kids even if you apply some kind of ISO standard to teaming process, I don’t think it is going to be honored or followed. Ironically, the whole process of choosing the team member starts with choosing the person who will be responsible of choosing the team member by all the players. Based on some ad-hoc preferences two team leaders are unanimously decided. Now the whole responsibility of selecting team members relies upon able capable shoulder of the chosen team leads. Selection process of team members is not trivial enough, team leads have to alternately call the name of person they want in their team. With every selected member, next member is selected with majority of selected members. Complex… huh!!!
After the team is decided; we need 7 tile pieces of any shape (preferably circular of 2 inch to 4 inch radius) to build a Lagori and a rubber ball.
I am trying to document the undocumented so forgive me if I miss something.
Rules of the game:
- Out of the two teams, one is attacking the Lagori and other one is defending the Lagori.
- Teams stand on the opposite side of the Lagori at certain distance from it, say 10 feet distance.
- Team attacking tries to hit the Lagori with every member getting turn to attack before other team gets their chance. Every member getting 3 hits during his turn.
- Ball should either hit directly the Lagori or after one bounce.
- Team defending can catch the ball thrown by the attacking team to get the throwing member out.
- Legal catch to take a member out should be made only after one bounce. If ball bounces more than once, throwing player continues to finish his attempts.
- After every player from attacking team is done with their attempts, team defending gets the chance to attack.
- If attacking team player successfully hits the Lagori, attacking team members have to restore the Lagori before getting hit by ball thrown by the defending team player
- If attacking team successfully restores the Lagori and circles Lagori three times by calling out “Lag Lag Lagori” with each circular movement they score a point over defending team and get the opportunity to attack again.
- If attacking team is not able to successfully restore the Lagori, defending team scores a point and gets to attack next.
- Play continues till players get tired and at the end of the session which ever team has more point wins.
Every game has its positives and Lagori has its own, my attempt to summarize some of the benefits:
- First and foremost, it is fun game to play.
- It is a team game, teaches one to be a team player
- It is a strategy game; one has to plan and carry out the restoration and simultaneously dodge the hit. Pretty much real life situation.
- It makes your aim pretty sharp.
- As its field game it keeps you fit and agile.