Seven stones (also known by numerous other names) is an Indian subcontinent game in which two teams compete in a vast outdoor area with a ball and a pile of flat stones. It is still played in villages today.
History
Seven Stones is one of the oldest games on the Indian subcontinent, with references to Lord Krishna playing the game with his associates in the Bhagavata Purana, a Hindu sacred literature said to have been written 5000 years ago. This ancient sport has been practised for over 5 millennia. It is thought to have originated in the Indian subcontinent’s southern regions. In the 1990s, it was one of the most popular outdoor activities in India and Pakistan, but it is now nearly extinct, with only a few people participating. It is frequently referred to as the “violent” variant of dodgeball.
Gameplay
One of the teams (the searchers) tosses a ball at a mound of stones in the hopes of knocking it over. The seekers must next attempt to repair the stone pile while avoiding the opposing team’s (hitters’) throws. The hitters’ goal is to get the ball to the seekers before they can rebuild the stone pile. If the ball contacts a seeker, that seeker is out, and the team from whom the seeker originated continues. A seeker can always protect themselves by touching a member of the opposing team before the ball touches them.
To play, you’ll need the following items:
- A bal:, such as a tennis ball or a rubber ball.
- 7 stones: If not, suitable substitutes will be provided.
- Each team must have at least two players: But with a lot more, it’s a lot more fun.
Procedure
- Form two teams with an equal number of players.
- To determine which team will attack first, a coin is flipped.
- The defending team takes positions after seven stones are piled on top of each other in a circle. The wicket keeper for the fielding team will be behind the stones, with other fielders standing around the stones at random, similar to how fielders stand in cricket. The assaulting team’s members take up positions behind a crease line, a safe distance away from the pile of stones.
- The attacking side has three opportunities to hit the pile of stones with the ball (underarm or overarm) in order to knock them down.
- If the assaulting team fails to reach the pile within three hits, the defensive and attacking teams swap places and play again, with one point awarded to the formerly defending team due to the formerly attacking side’s poor aiming skills.
- As soon as the ball hits the pile of stones, the defenders grab it and try to ‘out’ the opposing players by hitting them in the leg below the knees with the ball.
- The attacking team’s goal is to rearrange the stones and trace the circle three times with their fingertips before the opposing team is able to see all of the players. If they succeed, their team receives a point and they are given another chance to toss the ball. If all of the players are out, though, the defensive team hits the stone and earns one point.
Rules
- The defending team’s player is only allowed to rotate with the ball and not move. He is only allowed to have the ball in his hands for roughly 50 seconds at a time. He must pass the ball to other members of his side who will seek to do the same – knocking out a player they are marking with a ball below the knee. People who have the ball, on the other hand, can dodge.
- Only the stones must fall within the circle. If they fall outside the circle, the defending team earns another point and gets to throw the ball.
- If a member of the defensive side catches the ball after it has bounced off the pile of stones, they receive one point and the teams switch places.
- The attacking team’s player can shelter himself from the ball by hitting it away from the main area, wasting time when the opposition team’s player retrieves it from a long distance. The palm, on the other hand, should not be utilised to push the ball away; instead, only a closed fist should be employed.
Tips
The important thing to remember about the 7 stones method is that you should try to disrupt the stack of 7 stones as little as possible. With a glancing strike from the ball, just the top stone should be knocked pretty near by. As a result, your reconstruction will be simple. You’ll have a hard time rebuilding if you blast all 7 all over the place with a tremendous direct hit.
