Long Lost Childhood Games - Kancha (Goli)

In the series of Long Lost Childhood Games, after Channe Mane, here comes the second game called, Kancha or Goti or Goli. 

It used to be one of the favorites of young boys. Kancha or golis are the balls made of glass in various colors with a diameter of 1/2 inch. They even came in tiny and bigger sizes too (used rarely to accomplish challenging tasks!) I remember my brothers counting the golis or marbles every time they returned from their successful battles. Am sure every boy had his favorite and lucky marble. 


How to play Kancha or Goli - A long lost childhood game

Now to the rules.
The game had its own modus operandi. There used to be various versions ranging from easy to more complicated ones. Basically the players had to hit the selected target ‘kancha’ using their own marble. The winner takes all Kanchas of rest of the players.

There were techniques involved in hitting the marbles. In simpler versions the guy hitting had to just focus on the set target marble (among the marbles inside the circle) from a distance. He usually used to  focus with one eye closed and hit. 

Long Lost childhood games - Kancha or Goti or Goli
In another version, on a leveled even ground, a  small hole will be dug up. Then position will be   taken about two yards away from the hole. The player will kneel down and try  to send  the marble into the hole using a different technique from the previous one.

The marble had to be held tightly to the forefinger of the left hand. Then, stretch the finger back  by the pressure of the forefinger of the right hand. When the finger is released the marble goes forward, often crossing the hole. One has to strike out of the way the marble  thrown by the other boy. or with a gentle blow from one’s marble, push the other marble, so that it drifts into the hole. Then opponent gets his turn to strike the other person’s goli. The person who gets  all the golis into the hole, is declared first as winner.

Right now, I can think of only these versions. If you remember any other, pls feel free to share. 
The collection of marbles used to cross few hundreds sometimes. There used to be a competition amongst the boys as to who owns the maximum number of golis. 

3 comments:

  1. Wow ! Nice read and an enjoyable one . Childhood memories coming back . Superb share !

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  2. There is one more that is called KHATKA.In this we generally make little bigger hole than you mentioned above.suppose 5 players are playing together...They first decide marbles from each side to be used.for example if it is 2 from each side.then total no of marbles will be 10.Now they decide their number randomly by some method.who gets 1st serial will throw all 10 marbles in the bigger hole from a distance around 2 meter from the hole..How many he gets in that hole...Those he will win.simillarly rest will be thrown by second one.....

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