A highly indigenous and in terms of equipment a very simple sport, the origins of
this game is traced back to around 3,000 B.C. Mostly played on the streets between two
opposing groups of players, the game is still played in India, both in cities and rural
villages. With no official organisation or code of rules, 'gilli danda' in some respects
is akin to cricket with a batting side and a fielding side. The scoring can be either in
the form of points or monetary stakes, which is measured depending on the distance to
which the 'gilli' is struck. Sometimes the losing side may have to suffer some sort of
punishment.
The 'gilli' is a small stick pointed at both ends and the 'danda' is the bigger stick with
which the 'gilli' is struck. During play, a player from the batting, side strikes the
'gilli' beyond a specific boundary either all along the ground or over it. If the 'gilli'
is caught in flight or if it does not cross the specified boundary, then the player is
out. If the player succeeds in the above first step, then follows the second step. In the
second step the player places the danda across the 'gucchi' (a small hole dug in the
ground) from which he has struck the 'gilli', then a player from the fielding side tries
to hit the danda with the 'gilli', if he succeeds then the player from the batting side is
out and next player will step in to repeat the process from the first step. Otherwise, the
game proceeds to the third and the final step. If a player from the batting side is not
out after the first two steps, then he gets three strikes at the gilli to send it as far
as possible
from the 'gucchi'. He can either take the strikes in a multiple go or individually. When
the final strike is over the batting side will claim its stake as a measurement of the
distance travelled by the 'gilli'.
The fielding side can either concede the stake or challenge it. If challenged, the
distance will be measured with the danda and if the stake is approximately correct to the
distance measured then the fielding side will have to concede the stake. If the batting
side has made a mistake in claiming its stake then it will have to suffer some punishment,
which may even include the forfeiture of its innings. An innings is complete only when all
the players of batting side have had their say.
Similar variations of the game are popular in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The comparable game
in Sri Lanka is called 'gudu' and the 'gilli' is known as the 'kuttiya'.
The game of 'gilli danda' has some affinities with the old English games of 'Tip?cat' and
'Kit?cat'.
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