Health & Physical Education – CLASS-V – UNIT-4 SPORTS SKILLS EXERCISES

Some Indigenous Sports

Games and martial arts have been an important part of Indian culture since ancient times. Our country has a large variety of traditional games.

 Some traditional games are Kabaddi, Snake boat race, Archery, Kho-Kho, Wrestling, Mallkhamb, etc.

The martial art forms that originated in India are:

1. Kalaripayattu

2. Cheibi Gad- Ga (Manipur

3. Silambam(Kabaddi)

It is an old and popular game of India. It is played between two teams with seven players in each team. One of the raiding team’s players has to keep on chanting kabaddi-kabaddi in one breath. He/she is supposed to touch as many players of the opponent team as he/she can. The number of players touched by the raiders is declared out. They are sent out of the field. The opponent players also try to catch hold of the raider so that he might not be able to go back to his side. In case he/she is caught he is declared out. The raider is also considered out if his/her breath runs out, or if he/she fails to speak ‘kabaddi-kabaddi. The team who gets more points by the end of the game is declared as winner

(Kho-Kho)

In this game, one team sits in a row in the centre of the court. The teammates sit facing the opposite directions in alternate manner. These members are sent into the court who avoids being touched by the members of the other team. The winner is one who takes less time to touch and make the opponents out.

(Wrestling)

Wrestling is one of the traditional games. Locally, it is called Kushti. It involves a lot of physical training. Now this game has become an international sport and played on mattresses. Initially it was played in mud-pit akharas. Even today in Indian villages this game is played in such akharas. The wrestlers had to live a very hard life. They take a balanced diet.

(Mallkhamb)

It is a traditional Indian sport. Mallkhamb means a ‘gymnast’s pole’. In this game, men and women learn to practice balancing techniques on a pole while taking twists and turns.

(Snake-boat Race)

The boat race is very famous in Kerala. It is organised on the Onam festival. Around hundred oarsmen row one boat. Some of them play music and cymbals. It is the largest team sport in the world.

(Martial Arts

Martial arts simply mean ‘fighting sports meant for self-defence.’ Judo, karate and taekwondo are some popular forms of martial arts. They all are forms of self- defence. Karate began in India and from there it went to China. Then it spread to Japan, where it developed into its present form.

Kalaripayattu:

It is a traditional martial art form of Kerala. Both men and women practise this art. It makes the person fit because it involves many physical exercises.

Cheibi Gad-Ga:

This is one of Manipur’s ancient martial arts. The fighting equipment consists of a sword and shield. But now a stick is used instead of a sword. The competition is held on a flat surface and within a circle. The person, who scores the maximum points, wins.

Archery:

Archery has been used for hunting and self- defence since ancient times. Now it has become an international sport.

Silambam:

This martial art is practised in Tamil Nadu. A long bamboo called staff is used in this martiaI art. The fighters are made to fight in a circle. The contestant who is able to touch the other contestant more number of times with his staff, is declared as the winner. Nowadays, ancient art forms of all these games are being replaced by modern methods of martial arts. Today, children even do not know the names of the ancient Indian games.

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