Kho-Kho: Run-Chase sport from ancient India
Kho-kho, a traditional sport from ancient India, is quite popular and often takes center stage during school games. The game is all about chasing and tagging runners as they dash along a straight path between two poles. Players use smart tactics to create a relay of chasers, passing the chase turn to keep the excitement going.
Basics of Kho-Kho
- Team Sport: Played between two teams of 12 players, but only 9 players from each team take the field at a time.
- Chasing & Defending: One team chases, while the other defends.
- Turn-Based: The chasing team tries to tag out defenders within a set time, and then the roles switch.
How is it Played?
- The Chasers:
- Sit in a row on the field, facing alternate directions.
- One active chaser tries to tag defenders while using teammates to switch direction (by touching them and saying “Kho”).
- The Defenders:
- Try to avoid being tagged by running in zig-zag patterns and using speed and tactics.
- Winning the Game:
- The team that tags out the most defenders in the least time wins.
History:
Kho-kho is an age-old Indian game that might have its roots in the various strategies and tactics used during the epic war of Kurukshetra, as recounted in the Mahabharata. The chariot battles and the zigzag paths taken by retreating soldiers bear a striking resemblance to the gameplay of kho-kho.
On the 13th day of the war, the chief of the Kaurava army, Guru Dronacharya, drew a typical strategic circular formation—the chakravyuh. A deadly almost impenetrable war formation. The brave warrior Abhimanyu faced seven opponents alone within this deadly circle, yet he managed to inflict significant damage on the Kauravas. The way Abhimanyu tackled the defensive formation mirrors the tactics used in kho-kho..