In an innovative move to combat environmental apathy, a social enterprise in Pune is turning to the past for solutions. Youth Cosmo is reviving ancient traditions, including a forgotten Nepalese board game where tigers hunt goats, to foster a deeper connection with nature among the younger generation.
The Tiger and the Goat: A Game of Strategy and Nature
The centerpiece of this cultural revival is Bagh Chal, a strategic board game that simulates the dynamic between predator and prey. In this captivating game, one player commands four tigers, while the opponent controls a herd of twenty goats. The objective mirrors nature itself: the tigers must hunt the goats, while the goats must use their numbers to block and trap the predators.
This game, which once captivated players of all ages long before the digital era, is more than just entertainment. It is a reflection of ecological balance, teaching players that even a powerful apex predator can be outmaneuvered by a strategic herd.
Rootopia: A Festival for Planetary Consciousness
The platform for this renaissance is Rootopia: Paramparik Khel Utsav, an event organized by Youth Cosmo. Scheduled for November 29 from 4:30 PM to 9 PM, the festival will be held at the Pune International Centre in Pashan.
Nidhi Bennur, Co-founder and Director of Impact and Outreach at Youth Cosmo, explains the urgent need for such initiatives. She states that contemporary issues like global warming, pollution, and fossil fuel overuse are directly linked to population growth and a profound disconnect from the environment.
"Since the time of our great-grandparents and beyond, games have been a medium through which people have been connected to each other as well as to nature," Bennur says. "This reduction in sensitivity towards nature is one of the causes leading to the planetary crisis that we observe today."
More Than Just Games: A Holistic Cultural Experience
Rootopia offers a rich tapestry of traditional activities designed to rekindle a love for heritage and the environment. The event will feature dynamic demonstrations and workshops of Kalaripayattu, a 700-year-old martial art from Kerala, and Lathi Kathi, a traditional martial art practised in Maharashtra.
For those seeking quieter engagement, there will be a workshop on balancing stones—a simple yet profound activity largely lost to today's children. The festival will also boast a drum circle, children’s literature corners, organic food counters, DIY games, and a display of vintage games from across India.
Bennur highlights another traditional game, Pallanguzhi, a math-based board game played with cowrie shells or seeds. "These traditional sports and heritage games connect us to our culture, to our soil. Children play these games with seeds, stones, and the leaves around us," she notes, emphasizing the inherent sustainability of these pastimes.
By looking backward to traditional games like Bagh Chal, Youth Cosmo is taking a significant step forward in the fight for the planet's future, proving that sometimes, the oldest tricks are the most effective.
