The sport of gilli danda which is also known as Gulli danda or Tip-cat is famous in the village and town areas of India. This game fall under the bat-ball category, hence the playing style and rules of of Gilli Danda game is quite similar to these sports and if you know how to play cricket, then you can learn about this game in few practices and score good.
To play this game, make sure you have a well made Gilli Danda kit (means 1 or 2 gilli and 1 danda), second you need atleast 2 players as this game is played between 2 players or 2 teams. Third as this is an outdoor game, you need an open space like a ground, park, playground, school ground, backyard etc.
Once you are ready with these things, its time to play the game. There are certain rules to play Gilli danda game and you should aware all of them and all these starts from….
Preparing the playing field
- Make sure the playing field is flat, if it is uneven make it flat.
- Clean the field – if any small stones, brick pieces just throw them in side otherwise major injury can happen.
- Now at one side of ground (at one end or slightly in the middle), draw a circle which is called ‘Gilli ka Ghar’.
- For scoring – you can mark field like up to this the score would be 2, up to this area score would be 3 or 4.
- Players of the fielding team stand at a place of their choice in the field, so they can easily catch the Gilli.
It is all about the Gilli Danda ground which should be large around 500 square yards. The ground can be grassy, dry but should be enough so that if the striker hits gilli with danda, it should fall on the ground you have set for playing.
How to start the game?
A toss is done to decide which team will strike first. You can simply use the coin for it and decide who is gonna strike the Gilli first and who’s gonna field.
Once that’s done, The striker places the gilli in the pit, in such a way that one end of it remains outside the pit.
The batsman lightly hits the protruding end of the gilli with the stick, causing the gilli to bounce in the air.
When the gilli is in the air, the striker tries to send it far away in the field by hitting it hard with a stick, but here if fielder side players grabs the Gilli then the striker will get out!.
If gilli falls on ground, then for now the striker is safe and the score will be granted to striker’s team.
But here, the fielder team has chance to get striker out by striking gilli to danda.
So what happens, when striker strike gilli and it falls on ground? Well, the striker gets the score like 2, 3, or 4. But now the fielder has to hit the danda with gilli. And for this first striker will place the danda on circle border and then fielder will try to hit danda with gilli. If fielder succeeds, then striker will get out.
Method of scoring
As I have above mentioned, the score can be achieved by marking the field area, like if gilli falls in the inner circle, then 2 score, if it falls in second circle then 3, if it falls in final or last circle then 4 score will be granted.
But guys, the method of scoring of this game varies and in many area the score is counted with danda. Let me explain you about the alternate scoring method…
If the batsman successfully hits the gilli, he measures the distance between the place where the gilli fell and the pit with a stick.
The number of times the stick can measure this distance, the batsman gets that many points.
How striker will get zero score in Gilli Danda Game? Well if the fielder catches the gilli in the air without touching (like cricket), the batsman is out and score will be 0.
Different ways of playing gilli danda
a) Direct hit:
The batsman bounces the gilli from the pit and hits it straight into the air.
This is the easiest way and is suitable for beginners.
b) Reverse hit:
In this, the batsman hits the gilli upside down with a stick.
This is a little difficult but the gilli can go farther with this.
c) Air Strike:
The batsman tosses the gilli in the air and then hits it in mid-air.
This is the most difficult method and takes time to master.
Rules and Strategies of the Game
If the batsman fails to hit the gilli three times in a row, he is out.
The players of the fielding team try to catch the gilli. If they do so, the batsman is out.
The batsman must hit the gilli in a place where there are no fielders.
The fielders must spread themselves well on the field to get a chance to catch the gilli.
Benefits of Gilli Danda
Physical Exercise: This game exercises the whole body, especially strengthens the muscles of the hands and legs.
Eye-Hand Coordination: Good eye-hand coordination is necessary to hit and catch the gilli.
Team spirit: This game promotes cooperation and unity among team members.
Strategic thinking: Players have to make strategies for hitting the gilli and fielding.
Interesting facts about Gilly Danda
In many areas, Gilly Danda is played during festivals and celebrations.
Gilly Danda tournaments are organized in some villages, in which many teams participate.
Gilly Danda is played in Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh apart from India.
Some schools have included Gilly Danda in their curriculum so that children stay connected to their cultural heritage.
Conclusion
Gilli Danda is a game that is not only a means of entertainment but also a symbol of our culture and traditions. This game is suitable for both children and adults and does not require expensive equipment to play it. In today’s digital age where children are busy with mobile and video games, it is very important to promote traditional games like Gilli Danda. This will not only keep our culture alive but will also help the new generation to stay physically and mentally healthy.