The game of Stoppers and Intruders : Revisiting Chhur

It is a pleasure to dive into the nostalgic episode of remembering a very popular traditional game of Chhur, which has unfortunately been off the grounds lately. But when I saw a bunch of kids playing the game recently, I see a ray of hope for the game to be revived in future.

Extended time at home - dipping into nostalgic tales

I was home for three months. I was there for the vacations, to spend the festive season with family, and to be there with my mom when she finally retired from her nearly 35 year long service. But my stay got extended because of her sudden medical emergency. 

Nevertheless, I got to spend a longer time in the place where I was born. I had time to revisit the lanes where I took my first steps. With that, a lot of memories jogged back into my head, making me dive into a world of nostalgia. And I am here to share some of those nostalgic memories in ‘Nostalgic Tales’.

One day, just before I left my home, I saw a few kids playing ‘Chhur’. And, to be honest, I was thinking about that game for some time. The reason being remembering how good I was in that game, especially when I was down the childhood memory lane.

What is Chhur?

If you are not aware of what ‘Chhur’ is, you’ve forgotten the taste of it, or you know it by a different name, let me explain what it is. And even if you know, it will certainly take you back to those days, when you were either the stopper trying to cut anyone trying to intrude into the rooms or the intruder who dodged the gatekeepers to get into the rooms and get out of it unscathed, it will make you grin.

Firstly, it is a team sport. We need two teams, taking turns to be stoppers and intruders. The toss decides which team will take up which role first. 

The playground is a rectangular box with ten rooms, separated by a long line running from top box to the lower box. Each stopper is designated to stop any intruder from passing through the corresponding rooms, while there is one stopper running up and down the vertical line in the middle to block the intruders into certain areas and prevent them from moving further. Hence, there are seven stoppers to stop seven intruders from getting to the top of the roof and returning back untouched. 

Any intruder who is touched by the stoppers, while maintaining balance on their respective lines, is disqualified and is forced to leave the rooms. Both the teams will get turns to be stoppers and intruders. Mind it, it was not easy to be successful as an intruder. It required sharp instincts, observation, swiftness and coordination between teammates to be able to make out of all the rooms successfully. And even for the stopper team to stop the rivals, it required coordination and understanding along with being fast and reflexive. 

How did we play Chhur?

Back in Assam, when I was small, we used to dig up markers on playgrounds, paddy fields and even on kachha roads. Sometimes we played during the day. Most of the time, it was an evening game. In the summer, we would play even after dusk. Elders would play spectators and judge if there were any dispute. 

Those were the days when we played most of our games outdoors. And parents or guardians encouraged us to take part in them. They would be there to cheer us and enjoy the sight, as well, maybe, remember their own childhood days. I certainly remembered my childhood days when I saw the kids playing ‘Chhur’ recently. 

I was a tiny fellow, small and swift. So I had the advantage of rushing into the rooms, across extending arms to touch any part of my body, dozing all the stoppers to make it out unscathed. I was one of the youngest, yet I hated to take the blame of letting my side down. Hence I won’t make the charge. Instead, I was a reflexive intruder, taking advantage of the movement of the stopper to stop my teammate, to run into an vacant room. I avoided getting into a room where there is already someone, to avoid any attention, and get stuck with my teammates. 

My size aided my strategy in Chhur. But it was a disadvantage in some other games, like Kabbadi. So I don’t have much to share about Kabbadi, as I would get manhandled easily, often picked up and swayed away. 

Is Chhur relevant today?

I have been wondering what happened to the game we loved so much. Why don’t I get to see any one play Chhur any more? But I really enjoyed seeing children play which was once our everyday play. 

While writing this down, I googled ‘Chhur game’. And I was happy to see some results. There have been a few efforts for the revival of the traditional game. I was glad to see that. Here’s what I found.

Forgotten tribal game finds corporate feet - Tata Steel breathes life into chhur with an inter-school contest to 'preserve heritage'

and,

Fantastic Chhur - Chhur game at Surendranath centenary school ranchi jharkhand.🙂😃

For those who have played, know how exciting a game of Chhur is. It is not just a physical game, but also a game of strategy and coordination. Children have been closed indoors now. Prioritising mainstream extracurricular activities has a major downside to it. Yes, parents have accepted that the future is not only dependent on studies. But at the same time, orienting every activity and hobby as a career option has not helped either. We have not understood the importance of hobbies. Rather we’ve just moved from burdened by studies to now being burdened by career-oriented extracurricular activities. Joining cricket academies with the hope of earning a rich price tag in IPL auctions, gaining fame through talent hunt reality shows and chasing virality needs to be reconsidered.

Just an opinion though. You tell me - what is your take? 

You may also share your Chhur moments. Or share any other traditional game that was popular which needs to be revisited. 

Some games deserve more than memory. They deserve a return. For me,I really think the traditional game of Chhur has the potential.