The game of Gilli-Danda has been played in India for a long time and it is also popular in European countries where this sport is known as “Tip-Cat” and played in England, Scotland, and Ireland. This game is not only a means of entertainment but also represents a rich cultural heritage.
People of England, Scotland, and Ireland.. they play this game in their free time in an open ground or usually in a park or backyard. As Tip-cat game falls under the category of bat-ball, this sport needs a large stick of size around 2 feet which is called a bat, and other small size piece of size around 3 to 5 or 6 inches is considered as ball and is referred to as the cat. So here when the player uses bat to strike cat (this action is called tipping), the combination of action gives the game its name, Tip-cat.
How to Play Tip-Cat Game?
Today the Tip-cat game is played by people in European countries in their free time and and they enjoy it a lot as it improves mental and physical health!
Two main equipment are used in game of Tip-Cat, these are:
- Bat: This is a large price of stick, length around 2 feet to 2.25 feet.
- Cat: A short billet of wood, tapered at both ends called cat and size around 3-5 inches.
So here the batter or striker, place the cat on ground in a small circle and then with the batter, tips cat into the air and hits it to a distance. The opponent player, will try to catch it while the cat is in the air, if opponent players get success and catch the cat, the striker will get out, else the game remain continue!
Relation between Tip Cat and Cricket
Some cricket historians believe that cricket was born from Tip-Cat game. There are some similarities in both the games – like a wooden stick called bat which is used to hit a smaller object. In case of Tip-cat it is cat, while in Cricket it leather ball or ball.
Apart from that, run out, catch out… these are also quite similar. Last the scoring method of Tip-Cat is nearly similar to Cricket.
Final Words
In today’s digital era, where children are engrossed in mobile phones and video games, traditional games like Tip-Cat are slowly disappearing. But, some organizations, and individuals are trying to revive this game by promoting it at local or national level events.
Tip Cat which is known as Gilli Danda in India is now being included as a sports activity in many schools. This not only connects children to their cultural heritage, but also keeps them physically active. This way this game can maintain its place in the future as well.