This Indian Table Game Is the Perfect Family Pastime

Because a family that plays together, stays together.

With one last piece left on the table, the situation was tense. I and my cousin eyed each other warily. A hint of sweat tickled my forehead and I felt sweaty despite the fan blowing a gentle breeze on our heads. My cousin crunched his shoulders. His brows furrowed, he placed the striker on the board.

His fingers twitched before taking the shot. My sister looked on with eager anticipation at the unfolding drama. All eyes were on the board. Then my cousin flicked his fingers on the striker, caressing it with just the right amount of power. The striker went in a smooth, straight flow towards the piece. My heart was in my mouth.

I watched with dread as the striker dragged the piece along with itself and landed just short of the hole. The piece now lay just on the edge of the hole, but fortunately, not inside it. I let out a huge shout and my cousin’s shoulders dropped in dismay.

It was my chance now. My heart was pumping so hard, I could hear it clearly. I took my strike and the piece plopped neatly into the hole. I had won the cliffhanger.

The Game of Carrom

The game I described is lodged in my childhood memory as one of the most vivid experiences of those times. We were playing Carrom, a table-top game popular in India. It is also one of the most popular pastimes in these parts of the planet.

The game itself is quite simple- 19 pieces of wood in coin-like shape are placed on a 29 inch square, smoothened plywood top. There are four holes at its corners. The object of the game is to land as many of these pieces inside these holes as possible with the help of another larger coin-like object called the striker.

You have to flick your fingers on the striker and direct it like a missile towards these pieces in such an angle that they get pushed into these holes. You can use rebounds from another wall and angles to help you achieve this goal.

There can be maximum four players at a time, which makes it the perfect family game. The winner is the person who pockets the greatest number of coins. It is just like playing pool minus the headaches of having to deal with long sticks and a huge table.

Why Play Carrom

Apart from the fact that it is a fun game to play, Carrom has many other benefits. It is an easy game to learn and play. It does not need much skill to learn but as you progress and play against a more skilled player, the game becomes tougher.

It can also engage the entire family. If your family has four members, this game can make sure all are engaged in it. In these difficult times, when everybody avoids going outside this game can be a huge boon. It guarantees healthy competition, loads of laughter and amazing bonding.

When I play the game with my family, hours whistle by without us noticing. We fight and argue over points (of course in good humour) and laugh at others fouls. Also, each game is usually over in half an hour.

It makes the whole family come alive.

I have been playing the game with my seven years old daughter for a few months now. I am amazed at how quickly she has grasped the the fundamentals of this game. She now knows what angles to utilise and how to obstruct my play. She is very competitive though but we have loads of fun playing the game together. It is the perfect excuse for having some father-daughter time.

More important, Carrom helps in keeping reducing her screen-time. It also improves her focus and hand-eye coordination.

There are ample board games that can be used to get your child away from screens but most like Chess, Scrabble or Monopoly have a steep learning curve.

Some of these games, like Scrabble, also need the child to have some prior knowledge of English words, before they can become skilled at it.

Carrom demands only two things, dexterity with fingers and an understanding of angles. And lots of practice of course. That makes it the perfect game for kids to build their skills and learn to beat their parents.

Now the game is played at a professional level as well, with an active federation and a world championship.

The love for this game among the Indian diaspora is immense and it has travelled many places with them. Now Carrom is played across different countries and is becoming popular in countries outside Asia as well.

You and your family will quite enjoy this cute little table game from India, if you decide to bring a carrom table home.

It can help fill your home with laughter, joy and happiness. God knows, how much we need these things in such trying times.