Bongaralata : A Traditional & Well Known Game With Fun
Bongaralata : A traditional game played with sticks, and it is still sold in places like Tirunals. The bongara is a round object made of sticks. It has a large dome-shaped head, a middle part that comes down in three or four steps, a small bodipem (base) below, and an iron thorn (muluku) in the middle of its bottom. A Nulaka rope or Navaru rope is wrapped around the steps of the bongara, and it is played by throwing it with a long twist.
To play the game of bongaralata , all the players have their bongaralu ready with ropes tied to them. When someone says “one, two, three,” all the players throw their bongaralu on the ground simultaneously, and if they spin around, they use their ropes to pull their bongaralu back up. The player who retrieves their bongara first wins the round.
The remaining players draw a small circle on the ground with their bongaralu and place them inside it. Then, a brave player throws a rope at the bongaralu in the circle. The rope thrown will create holes and knock down some of the sticks.
The climber needs to pick them up again using the rope. If they fail to do so, the game starts again. These pokes made to knock down the sticks are called “Puccha.” Once the ball hits, some balls in the circle will go beyond the line, and the players can also play with those balls like the first person.
When all the bonurulu (sticks) come out of the circle, everyone turns their bongaralu on the floor and plays the same way as before.
Bongaralata & Requirements
Playing bongara requires caution, dexterity, the ability to target, and the ability to seize opportunities. It is an exciting game that tests one’s skill and coordination. In the famous folk tale “Ramulammakadha,” bongaralu plays a significant role in taking the story to its climax. This game of bongara has also been part of the historical traditions of Srinadhu, which it made Balachandra more skillful and formidable.
Also Read : https://telugutraditions.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1865&action=edit