Lagori making a mark

Do you recollect the game Lagori? A very popular game of our childhood, it was a game of good aim and focus, dexterity and ability to run quickly on the feet. Todays video game kids might not even have heard about it and might find the whole idea of the game gross and oh so old fashioned!

Thankfully, there are some who have come with a brilliant idea to keep this very quintessential Indian game alive. We now have our very own league matches for lagori. The first ever Indian Lagori Premier League (ILPL) will be held at Bijapur in Karnataka from January 27. teams participating in the league are Gwalior Royals, Delhi Kings, Deccan Sharks, Punjab Strikers, Kolkata Tigers and Eastern Panthers. All these teams would start a new era in popularising Lagori which has been recently recognised by Maharashtra government as a sport. The ILPL is being organised by Amateur Lagori Federation of India and Dr Nagur Educational Trust. There are 10 teams and each would have one international player each from countries like Nigeria, Uganda, Chad, Nepal, Afganisthan and Bangladesh.

This game, popular in Maharashtra is also played under various names in other parts - Pitthu in Haryana, Sitoliya in Rajasthan and Yedu Penkulata, Dikori or Pittu in Andhra Pradesh, Dabba Kali in Kerala and Ezhu Kallu in Tamil Nadu. It is played outside India too - 7 Sang in Iran, Teelo in Canada, Pitho Garam in Pakistan, Seven Tilo in Nepal, Sat Chara in Bangladesh and Santracon in Afghanistan.

First kabaddi and now lagori. Very soon we might hear of league matches for marbles or dodge ball or even langadi.