It’s officially summertime which means it’s also IPL time, and nothing gets us summer ready like watching Dhoni hit that helicopter shot!

But all this cricket-talk has got us wondering about what games our grandparents used to play, to make the summer a little less of a bummer.

So, we did some research and here are 5 traditional sports/games that could give the IPL a run for its money.

Gilli Danda!

Before there was cricket, there was Gilli Danda.

A game played with 2 two sticks; one big stick (Danda) and a small stick (Gilli). A player must use the Danda to hit the Gilli at its raised end, which flips it into the air. The player must then strike the Gilli, hitting it as far as possible (within the playing circle, of course)!

Having struck the Gilli, the player is required to run and touch a pre-agreed point outside the circle, before the Gilli is retrieved by the opponent.

This 1v1 sport is perfect for siblings looking to kill time on a summer’s day!

Dhop Khel

Dhop Khel is the Assamese version of Kabbadi. ‘Dhop’ is a ball that two opposing teams have to throw across a central line, into the other half. Each team alternatively sends a player into the opponent’s court, with a goal to catch the ball and make their way back to home court, without allowing the opposition to touch them.

Don’t be surprised if the DPL (Dhopkhel Premier League) suddenly pops up on your T.V screens.

Wait… Has anyone told Abhishek Bachchan about this sport yet?

Kho Kho

Tag, you’re it!

You obviously remember that episode from The Power Puff Girls, where they play ‘Duck, Duck, Goose’.  Kho Kho is basically that, but cooler.

2 teams face off, one team kneels in the centre of the court (in a row), with adjacent members facing opposite directions. The team that takes the shortest time to tag/tap all the opponents on the field, wins!

Satoliya

A.K.A Seven stones! This game has many different names. To play Satoliya (Lagori), you need seven small, flat stones; each smaller than the previous one. Place the stones on top of each other in decreasing order, and hit the pile with a cloth ball, such that all the stones fall down. If the opponents catch the ball within one pitch and the stones are not disrupted, then the next player comes in.

If you ask us, Lagaan would’ve been a much better movie if they’d played Satoliya instead of cricket. Silly British-ers!

Kancha

When your granddad was a boy, Kancha would’ve been the most popular game in the neighbourhood. It’s played using marbles called ‘Kancha’. Players have to target an opponent’s marble, and use their own marble to hit the selected target. The player to eliminate all other marbles, wins, and also gets too keep the eliminated marbles.

The only rule to keep in mind while playing Kancha is to never ever lose your marbles!

Do yourself a favour and explore these old-school games. Learn more about their rules with a simple internet search and have yourself a “Gilli” of a time! ;)