Pithu Garam (Seven Stones): A Traditional Game of Pakistan
Ever played Pithu garam in your childhood?
If yes, then your childhood was awesome.
It is my favorite childhood game and that of many of the 90s kids. I can still remember that whenever our cousins would come to visit us during summer, we would play this game. We used to mark the ground boundaries and the circle for the stone tower with coal from the stove. After marking the ground, we will scatter around to find the tiles/flat stones for the stone tower. We usually gathered distinct red-colored pieces of broken clay pots. These were also called “geetian.” It used to be so much fun.
Enough with the reminiscing. Let’s start exploring the game of seven stones.
Pithu garam, also known by many other names including seven stones, lagori, satoliya, and pithu gol garam, is a traditional game of Pakistan, also played in many states of India. It conjures memories of bygone days when its sounds would resonate across streets filled with youth. Unfortunately, in modern urban landscapes, the sounds have somewhat diminished making this traditional pastime an uncommon sight.
History of Pithu Garam (Seven Stones)
Pithu Garam is an ancient game of the Indian subcontinent. While the exact origin of pithu garam is not known, it is often traced back to Hindu religious scripture Bhagavata Purana, which is claimed to have been written around 5000 years ago. In the scripture, the Hindu lord Krishna is mentioned playing lagori (pithu garam) with his friends. Probably, the game spread from there to the Indian continent. Today the game is played in many parts of Pakistan, India, and a few other countries.
How Can You Play Pithu Garam?
Pithu Garam is an exciting and challenging game beloved by children of urban areas of Pakistan and those residing in the slums of big cities. It is played between two teams and the centerpiece of the game is a tower of seven stones that is placed in the center in a small circle. One team tries to hit and dislodge the tower and then restack it, while the other team tries to prevent them from restacking by hitting them with the ball and rendering them out.
To excel at the game of pithu garam, one ought to have quick reflexes, team coordination, and strategic thinking. Players experience the excitement of rapid throws, hits, and evasive maneuvers, which fosters physical agility.
Now, let’s discuss things in a bit more detail.
How Can You Set the Scene for a Pithu Garam Game?
Preparing the playing area is key to creating an engaging Pithu Garam match, and here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can set it up:
Select a Flat Ground Free of Obstacles
When it comes to choosing an area for play, an open one free from obstacles such as rocks, sharp objects or uneven terrain is optimal for avoiding accidents during gameplay. Parks, playgrounds, or open fields make ideal settings for a game of pithu garam.
Mark the Playing Area
Create a small circle at the center of the playing area using chalk, tape, or another suitable material such as paint. We used to use coal of burnt wood from stoves for marking purposes. It would blacken our hands. Stones will be placed within this circle.
Once you have marked the circle for stones, mark two straight lines anywhere between 6 to 10 feet apart from the circle on opposite sides. Both teams will stand behind these marked lines facing each other during gameplay.
Communicate the Rules
Since Pithu Garam rules can be tailored to suit individual players’ preferences and limitations, before beginning play the rules must be communicated to all participants to avoid confusion and quarrels.
What Material Are Used in Lagori?
Pithu is a simple accessible game—kids only need a ball and seven flat stones/tiles to begin playing the game.
Lagori Ball
Traditionally, the pithu garam is played with a tennis ball. However, today, it is often played with the lagori ball that is specifically made for the game of pithu garam. Lagori ball is made with soft material to ensure that players are not hurt when hit with the ball. Sometimes, makeshift balls are used to play the game. For instance, in the Indian state of Kerala, a ball made of coconut leaves is used to play pithu garam.
Seven Flat Stones
To build the stone tower, the centerpiece of the game, you will need seven flat stones. Back in our days, we used to divide into groups of two or three and look around for flat stones. Flat pieces of broken clay pots, aka geetian, were the easiest to find. These days, geetian are replaced with perfectly round wooden or plastic blocks that can be found online.
Marker—Chalk
You will need something to mark the playing area—a small circle at the center, in which stones are stacked and lines for players to stand behind on opposite sides of the circle. Back in the day, we used to use coal that we could easily find from the stoves. When playing in the ground away from home, where we did not have access to coal, we used to carve circles and lines in the ground with a stone with sharp edges. You can also use chalk, lime, paint, or tape for the marking.
Two Teams to Play Pithu Garam
Pithu Garam thrives on friendly competition and teamwork, featuring two teams coming together for fun and excitement. Two players would come out as captains (one was usually the guy who brought the tennis ball) and then would select a player one by one until everyone is picked.
Hitters (Throwing team)
They have the task of knocking down the stone tower or “geetian” located at the center of their playing area. Each player gets three turns to dislodge the tower by hitting it with the lagori ball. After the tower is toppled, the team has to work together to restack it before getting hit by the ball by the opponent team, in which case you will consider it out.
To excel as a hitter, you have got to possess accuracy, maneuvering skills, and coordination with the team members.
Seekers (Catching Team)
In Pithu Garam, the seekers (catching team) play an essential defensive role. The catching team stands opposite the hitting team and tries to catch the ball thrown by the hitters at the stone tower. Once the stone tower has been broken down by the hitters, their responsibility is to quickly retrieve the Lagori ball and tag hitters with it, before they can restack the stones.
To excel as a seeker, you will need great speed, quick reflexes, precision, and optimum guessing about hitters’ movements.
Pithu Garam Rules
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to playing pithu garam with your friends, but to avoid confusion and quarrels during the game, it is always a good idea to communicate the adopted rules for the game.
1. Two Teams
For a fair game of pithu garam, players must be divided into two equal-sized teams, with equal distribution of skillset between both teams.
2. Conduct a Toss
Conduct a toss, with a coin or a stone, to determine which team will assume the attacking position.
3. Respect the Marked Line When Hitting
Players from both teams must stand at designated marks facing each other when hitting. If a thrower crosses the marked line that is approximately 6-10 feet away from the circle while hitting, their throw would not be considered. Repeated crossing of the marked line may render the player out.
4. Chances/Tries
This is communicated before the game begins. We mostly played with each player of the team having three tries to knock down the stone tower. But in some cases, the whole team is given only nine chances, which are equally distributed among the three players of the team.
5. One Leg Rule
This also needs to be communicated before the game begins. The hitter must throw their Lagori ball while standing on one leg without shifting in position after grabbing it.
6. Try Expiration
Each player gets three tries and the try expires when the thrower fails to knock down the stone tower and the keeper from the catching team, catches the ball after one bounce. If the throw dislodges the tower and the keeper catches the ball, the thrower is rendered out, irrespective of the number of remaining tries. And sometimes, catching the ball after it hits the stone tower, the whole team is considered out. It depends on what the teams have agreed to before the gameplay.
7. Knocking Down the Stone Tower
The real game begins when a throw knocks down the stone tower. As the stone tower comes crumbling down, defending team rushes to retrieve the ball, and the throwing team gathers around the dislodged tower and tries to restack it before defending team hits any of their teammates with the ball.
8. Saying Pithu Garam
After restacking the stones, at least one player from the attacking team (who is not out) must say, “Pithu Garam,” to complete their stacking. If a player stacks the tower but gets tagged with the ball before saying this phrase they will be considered out.
9. Outing Whole Team
If even one player of the throwing team is hit with the ball before they can restack the stones, the whole team will be rendered out and tables would turn—the catching team will now take a turn at throwing and vice versa.
10. Reviving Outed Players
If the throwing team can restack the stones without getting hit, they will get one point and all their outed players will live again—get three more tries.
11. Tally Points
Each time the hitting team successfully rebuilds the stone tower, they earn points or reach their predetermined score and this determines their position in the competition. The team with the highest total at the game’s end wins!
12. Tagging Below Knee Level
Based on an agreement reached before the beginning of the match, the rule of tagging below knee level may be implemented. Most commonly, any contact between the ball and an opponent anywhere on their body counts as a tag. However, in some instances, loose clothing not attached directly to their body may not count. This rule usually applies when players are wearing their traditional attire, Shalwar Qameez.
13. No Running With the Ball
In fielding, defensive teams cannot run with the ball in hand while trying to tag the Opposing team, who are trying to restack the stone tower. Instead, they may pass it among themselves so it moves along on its path over the ground or hits opponents directly.
14. Game Completion
The game concludes when either a predetermined score has been attained or a specified number of rounds have been completed. That said, teams can choose to continue playing multiple rounds for additional fun and entertainment.
15. Adaptations
Pithu Garam, like many traditional games, allows for some regional variations or adaptations that cater to players’ individual preferences or the available playing space. As long as all participants agree on the rules beforehand, these modifications can add variety and fun to the game experience.
Adherence to these rules adds structure and fairness to the game, ensuring that there are no disagreements and quarrels during the game. These rules are flexible and can be molded with consensus between the two teams, before starting the game.
FAQS About Pithu Garam
What Are the Materials Used in Pithu Garam/Lagori?
Pithu garam is a very accessible game, requiring only a softball, seven flat stones/tiles to play, and coal or chalk to mark the playing area. Traditionally and even presently in urban areas, a tennis ball is used; but in rural areas or when playing professionally, a special soft lagori ball is used for safety. Similarly, stones/geetian that were picked randomly from the ground are today replaced by round wooden/plastic blocks. Marking of play areas was once done using coal or carved lines; nowadays chalk, lime paint, or tape suffice.
What Is the Measure of a Lagori Ground?
Traditionally, there is no limit. We used to find an open ground, draw a small circle and a line for the thrower and begin playing. But today, Lagori grounds are generally 20 meters in length and 10 in width. This could change depending on the available space and participating players.
How Many Players Are Needed for Pithu Garam?
While Pithu Garam can be played with as few as two people, its full potential lies within two teams consisting of three to nine players each.
What Are Some Common Terms Used to Refer to Pithu Garam?
The game of Pithu Garam is known by various names across the Indo-Pakistan region. Where in Pakistan it commonly goes by the name garam pithu, or pithu gol garam; in India, it has many alternative names such as pittu, satoliya, pitto, lingocha, dikori, lagori, lingot, bam pittu, garmaan, sat khapri, etc.
That’s is very informative and well explained 🙌👍