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Thread: Snakes and Ladders

  1. #1
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    Snakes and Ladders

    Namastщ, all,

    I had read before that the game Snakes and Ladders (or the American version Chutes and Ladders) originated as an ancient game teaching Hindu values to children. It's pretty neat to see a revival of the original idea:

    http://www.hindu-blog.com/2011/09/parama-pada-sopanam-buy-traditional.html

    I thought I'd post this in case any of our members with children (or those who, like me, just act like children ) would be interested.

    Indraneela
    ===
    Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
    Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

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    Re: Snakes and Ladders

    namaste Indraneela.

    As children we used to play this game with avidity during holidays. Our grandma imposed a strict condition that no player should quit the game in the middle or else 'God will be displeased.' Here is how this game looked:
    http://www.mastanantapur.com/ppsp.htm

    You might as well use a blown up print of this image for a game, or download a simpler image here:
    http://www.mediafire.com/?ctv11t8wnxzu5mf

    Some interesting links to traditional Hindu games:
    http://www.gamepandit.com/games/snake_ladder.html
    http://www.traditionalgames.in/home/...s/paramapadham

    Children can have great fun with learning, playing these games!
    рд░рддреНрдирд╛рдХрд░рдзреМрддрдкрджрд╛рдВ рд╣рд┐рдорд╛рд▓рдпрдХрд┐рд░реАрдЯрд┐рдиреАрдореН ред
    рдмреНрд░рд╣реНрдорд░рд╛рдЬрд░реНрд╖рд┐рд░рд░рддреНрдирд╛рдвреНрдпрд╛рдВ рд╡рдиреНрджреЗ рднрд╛рд░рддрдорд╛рддрд░рдореН рее

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  3. #3

    Re: Snakes and Ladders

    Namastщ Indraneela, saidevo,

    Thank you for posting, to my mind this is truly the mark of great civilisation!
    What wonderful creativity.

    praNAma

    mana

  4. #4
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    Re: Snakes and Ladders

    We have never owned Chutes and Ladders, we actually owned Snakes and Ladders!

    When my children were being born I would always carry a small bag of toys for my other children. We always always brought this game with us.

    It was from Japan so I always figured it was the Eastern version of the game.

    Funny how Dharma trickles into your life in the smallest of spaces.

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    Re: Snakes and Ladders

    Vannakkam: We played snakes and ladders as children. But the thing I remember the most about it was that if your game got wrecked, you could just make a new one quite easily with your local and personal info added to it. We'd add reasons for hitting snakes, or hitting ladders. I (and other teachers) used it as an art project for school too. Children came up with quite a variety of snakes, and great creativity if reasons were put into it. I remember how usually it was fairly emotional stuff. One snake in particular was "Teacher gets angry at you," and that was a long snake too. So the ups and downs could apply to a fine array of life's factors.

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: Snakes and Ladders

    Namaste,

    Thank you Indraneela ji and Saidevo ji.

    Nice find.
    Namaskar,

    AmIHindu ?

    यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि ।

    नाम्नोऽस्ति यावती शक्तिः पापनिर्हरणे हरेः । श्र्वपचोऽपि नरः कतुँ क्षमस्तावन्नकिल्विषम् ।।

  7. #7
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    Re: Snakes and Ladders

    Heh, so this is an Indian game, huh? I remember way back in the day when my grandparents brought snakes and ladders back from their latest trip to India. I actually thought it was a knockoff of the American version!

  8. #8
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    Re: Snakes and Ladders

    Namaste,

    Interesting article, Indraneela! Thanks for linking. You learn something new everyday. Isn't chess (or a similar precursor game) also supposed to have originated from somewhere in the Indian subcontinent?

    Om namah Shivaya
    "Watch your thoughts, they become words.
    Watch your words, they become actions.
    Watch your actions, they become habits.
    Watch your habits, they become your character.
    Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."

    ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
    Om Gam Ganapataye namah

    लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
    Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu

  9. #9
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    Re: Snakes and Ladders

    Vannakkam: Another version here: http://hinduismtoday.com/modules/wfc...php?wfc_cid=35

    Aum Namasivaya

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