Saturday, 31 October 2009

The Game of Panchi [a traditional Sinhalese New Year game]

This is a game played with a special board and 7 shells with one flat side..
1. Two teams can play this game. One or two members can be in a team. Each team has three pieces to move around the board.
2. One group must start the game from the right side of the board and the other from the left side.
3. Take all the shells and shake them well. The put them into a coconut shell which is turned curved side up.
4. The number of shells turned to the flate side indicates the number of spaces a piece can go.
5. To start the game the player must get 1, 5 or 6.
6. If a player gets 1, 5 or six he also gets a chance to put another shell on the board.
7. Only one piece can be in a space except in the spaces marked with a cross. If two pieces come to one space the piece which was there first has to start the game from the beginning.
8. If all 7 shells are turned are turned on the flat side it is a zero.
9. If all the shells are curved side it is 14 and also the player gets another chance to put more shells on.

The team which takes all 3 pieces to the palace first wins this game.
KANISHKA