‘Gilli Danda’ still famous game among the slum children

Years-old game popular in rural areas too

Gilli Danda is an adolescent game very much famous in all part of Pakistan especially in the less developed areas in the small children which is our traditional game and the poor children of the slums play this with full enthusiasm.

Usually it is played by any number of children and the rules are different everywhere and children can have fun making their own rules.

Gilli Danda has no need of any special kind of equipment while it is played with a Gilli and a Danda which are both wooden sticks. The Danda is longer and handmade by player who swings it comfortably. The Gilli is smaller and is pointed on both sides so that the ends are conical and can be struck by the player easily while the Gilli works same as a cricket ball and the Danda is comparable to a cricket bat.

Munawar Khan said, “We play this game after coming back from collecting scrap which is our favorite game.”

“I made Gilli and Danda from the branches of the tree near my home and it usually works for playing many games.”

A small circle of three to four feet diameter is drawn in the field and then a small oblong shaped hole is dug which is smaller than the Gilli to play. Two teams are formed one bats while the other fields.

Kashif Sultan said while playing, “We stand ready a few distances apart from where we can catch the Gilli. The first player in the start places the Gilli in the hole and lifts it quickly high in the air with Danda and then strikes it. If he fails at first, he gets another turn. If the fielder catches the Gilli before it touches the ground the batsman is out and the second player tries to hit the Gilli.”

“If the Gilli is not caught, the distance from the hole to place where the Gilli drops is measured with Danda. Each Danda equals one point.”

The fielder stands where the Gilli falls and tosses it to the batsman. The batsman tries to hit the Gilli while it is in the air. If it falls, he taps the tapered end. If he does not hit it, or is caught, he is out.

The game continues till all batsmen are out. The team changes side and continues the same way. The team with higher score wins.

Noor Muhammad said, “In only three months of the summer we play Gilli Danda while after that we play other games like marbles etc.”

The children of the slums (F-11) are playing year-old games like Gilli Danda, marbles, playing with mud and other unhygienic things while the concerned authorities have made no such set-up for those bereaved people who have even nothing for their meal but at least they should be provided with a playground sort of thing by the CDA which can bring happiness to these poor children of slums.