Chenne (or Chenne mane) game was considered to have mystic divine powers and was played on specific occasions. It was popular in the Rural Tulunadu since the legendary days of Siri or even before. It is prohibited to play the game after the rice seedlings (neji) are in the growing fields and up to harvest time.The game is not normally played among men except in association with marriage alliance.There is an old custom in the Bunt caste of playing the game by the male head's of the boy's and girl's families during the marriage negotiation ceremonies (nishchaya). It is regarded a good omen if the girl's party loses.
This game is played on a wooden board with fourteen pits / depressions / houses of two parallel rows. And two larger hollows at either end used for storing captured seeds. Each player owns the store to his right. It is played using Channe Kallu /bitthu ( looks somewhat like Rajma) the seeds of a local tree. Hence the name 'Chennemane'! This game is also played with seeds of coral tree ( manjutti in Tulu) or Tamrind seed (pulkotte in Tulu).
The game is for two players. The object of the game is to give each player around 50 to random number of manjutti beads.The first player,who wins the toss puts in each circular hole ( 'mane' or 'home' ) even number( say 4) of beads at a time and continue till u run out of your beads. And then if you are left with odd numbers of beads in one of the holes those beads go to your opponent player and vice versa.The person ends with all the opponents beads or more number of beads is the winner!!
There is no element of chance in this game, it is a pure strategy game which makes it different from many board games.
Immigration of the Game:
The antiquity and distribution of the ancient Tulu game of Chenne, clearly suggest that the game concept originally evolved in Africa-Mediterranean region. They call it MANCALA. The earliest representation of the game was in Egypt. It was brought to Tulunadu by early Tulu immigrants or possibly by trade routes during the period of immigration even before Christ. ca. 750-500BC. It has been found in Egyptian tombs, but the game may be older than Ancient Egypt.
This game is played on a wooden board with fourteen pits / depressions / houses of two parallel rows. And two larger hollows at either end used for storing captured seeds. Each player owns the store to his right. It is played using Channe Kallu /bitthu ( looks somewhat like Rajma) the seeds of a local tree. Hence the name 'Chennemane'! This game is also played with seeds of coral tree ( manjutti in Tulu) or Tamrind seed (pulkotte in Tulu).
The game is for two players. The object of the game is to give each player around 50 to random number of manjutti beads.The first player,who wins the toss puts in each circular hole ( 'mane' or 'home' ) even number( say 4) of beads at a time and continue till u run out of your beads. And then if you are left with odd numbers of beads in one of the holes those beads go to your opponent player and vice versa.The person ends with all the opponents beads or more number of beads is the winner!!
There is no element of chance in this game, it is a pure strategy game which makes it different from many board games.
Immigration of the Game:
The antiquity and distribution of the ancient Tulu game of Chenne, clearly suggest that the game concept originally evolved in Africa-Mediterranean region. They call it MANCALA. The earliest representation of the game was in Egypt. It was brought to Tulunadu by early Tulu immigrants or possibly by trade routes during the period of immigration even before Christ. ca. 750-500BC. It has been found in Egyptian tombs, but the game may be older than Ancient Egypt.
This board is similar to the 'Olinda Kaliya' of Sri Lanka.
ReplyDeleteSuperb explanation of the game to laymen! Keep up the good work and bring out some other games in Tulunadu which may be getting extinct!
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