Chaupar
Indian cross and circle board game, variant or precursor to Pachisi.
Chaupar (also known as chopad, chaupad, or pagade) is a cross and circle board game played in India, very similar to pachisi. The board is traditionally made of wool or cloth, with wooden pawns and seven cowry shells used to determine moves, though some variants use three four-sided long dice. It is generally considered a variant or precursor of Pachisi, Parcheesi, and Ludo.
- field
- Board game
- region
- India
- known_for
- Precursor to Pachisi and Ludo
- materials
- Wool or cloth board, wooden pawns, cowry shells
- players
- 2 to 4
- variants
- Gyan chauper, Ludo
Lore & Background
Games similar to chaupar, with differences in color schemes and dice, have been identified from the Iron Age Painted Grey Ware period at Mathura. Chaupar is generally considered a variant or precursor of Pachisi, not the other way around. Chopat is claimed to be a variation of the game of dice played in the epic Mahabharata between Yudhishthira and Shakuni, though that was a dice game, not a board game like chaupar or chopat.
Famous stories passed down tell of kings who played chaupar. One tale describes a king who had two trained mice named Sundari and Mundari; he would distract his opponent with stories and then utter 'Sundari and Mundari,' causing the mice to move the pieces unnoticed. Another tale recounts Raja Rasalu playing chaupar with Raja Sarkap and winning his kingdom.
The game is played in a bantering manner, with players mocking each other's play, snorting, cracking knuckles, or making absurd noises to distract opponents. If a player fails to kill at least one opponent's pawn (a 'tohd') by the end of the game, they are said to have lost with a 'bay-thoree,' the most disgraceful form of losing.
Reader's Guide
Chaupar holds significance as a traditional Indian board game that directly influenced the globally popular games Pachisi, Parcheesi, and Ludo. Its legacy is evident in the enduring popularity of these derivatives. The game's rules, including the use of cowry shells for scoring and the requirement to knock out an opponent's pawn before bringing one's own home, reflect a strategic depth that has entertained players for centuries. The game's social aspect, with its bantering and distracting tactics, highlights its role as a communal activity. The existence of legends about kings and trickery further underscores its cultural importance. While the source article does not provide specific dates or a single inventor, it establishes chaupar as an ancient game with roots in the Iron Age, making it a key part of India's gaming heritage. Its variations, such as Gyan chauper, show its adaptability and continued relevance.
Did You Know?
- Games similar to chaupar have been identified from the Iron Age Painted Grey Ware period at Mathura.
- A player who fails to kill at least one opponent's pawn by the end of the game loses with a 'bay-thoree,' the most disgraceful form of losing.
- One legend tells of a king who used two trained mice named Sundari and Mundari to secretly move pieces during a game.
- The cowry shells are thrown in three styles: sliding, throwing in the air with one cowri on the index finger, or spinning them in the hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chaupar?
Chaupar is a traditional Indian cross-and-circle board game, also called chopad, chaupad, or pagade, that is widely regarded as an ancestor of Pachisi and Ludo. Players move pawns along a cross-shaped track toward a central home area.
How do players determine their moves in Chaupar?
In the classic form, players toss seven cowry shells and count how many land in a particular orientation to set the number of spaces a pawn advances. Some regional variants swap the shells for three elongated four-sided dice serving the same purpose.
What materials make up a traditional Chaupar set?
The board is typically stitched from wool or cloth in a cross-and-circle layout, and the pawns are carved from wood. The cowry shells used for randomizing moves complete the standard kit.
How many people can play Chaupar at once?
The game supports two to four players, each commanding their own set of pawns around the shared track. This makes it well suited to small family gatherings or head-to-head matches.
Why is Chaupar important in board-game history?
It is generally considered the direct precursor to Pachisi, which later gave rise to Parcheesi and Ludo in the Western world. Chaupar thus sits at the root of the entire cross-and-circle family of racing games still played today.
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