PADHARO SA

Khel Mahal

A game of chess with the raja, a camel race in the Thar, kite fights over Jaipur — play, learn, and write your district onto the royal roll.

This week’s district race

Each district’s best score this week in every game, scaled to 100 and added up. A new race every Monday — rally your school or neighbourhood.

The first points could be your district’s — play any game!

Each school’s best score this week in the Raja’s Quiz and the chess puzzle. Add your school when you save a score — a new league every Monday.

No school has played this week yet — yours could be first!

Chess descends from chaturanga, played in India in the Gupta era, around the 6th century.
Every chess puzzle hides one key idea — a fork, a pin or a sacrifice — that turns the game.
Chaupar is played on a cross-shaped cloth — each arm has 3 × 8 = 24 squares.
The camel is Rajasthan’s state animal — declared in 2014.
On Makar Sankranti (14 January) all of Jaipur takes to the rooftops to fly kites.
Rajasthan is India’s largest state by area — about 342,000 sq km.

Games of the courtyard, the village square and the court — some coming soon to the Khel Mahal.

Chaupar (Pachisi)
A cross-shaped cloth board, cowrie shells for dice and pieces in four colours — played from royal courts to village squares.
Play now
Satoliya (Pitthu)
Knock down a stack of seven flat stones with a ball, then rebuild it while dodging the other team’s throws.
Gilli-danda
Flick the gilli up with the danda, strike it far and measure the distance — the oldest street game of all.
Kabaddi
Raid the other half chanting “kabaddi” on one breath, tag and return — a game of strength and speed.
Gutte (five stones)
Toss five small stones and catch them on the palm and back of the hand — a courtyard game.