Sacred Squares & Tiger Trails: The Hidden History of Board Games in India

When we think of board games today, we picture cardboard boxes, plastic tokens, maybe even a digital app version. But travel back a few hundred—or a few thousand—years, and you’ll find that games weren’t played on cardboard, but carved into temple stone. You won’t see batteries or user manuals. You’ll see symbols of tigers and goats, sacred squares, and storytelling woven into strategy.

The Temples Were the First Game Rooms

Across India, ancient temples double as early game archives. At the Brihadeeswara Temple in Tamil Nadu and the Virupaksha Temple in Hampi, game boards are etched directly into stone floors—centuries before commercial game production existed. Worshippers played as they waited, perhaps contemplating both the divine and the next strategic move.

These weren’t just games for entertainment—they were reflections of life, ethics, and cosmic balance. Playing was a communal activity. Observing, participating, learning. No screens, no distractions—just human connection over carved lines.

Pachisi: The Game of Kings

Known as the "national game of India" long before cricket claimed hearts, Pachisi was played on massive cloth boards or even palace courtyards. Four players raced their tokens around a cross-shaped track, guided by cowrie shells instead of dice.

Legend has it that Akbar the Great played a life-sized version in his courtyard at Fatehpur Sikri—with human game pieces. The goal wasn’t just to win, but to plan, negotiate, and form temporary alliances. In other words, it was social strategy centuries before we had team-building exercises.

Puli Meka: Tiger vs Goats

This thrilling two-player game pits one tiger against multiple goats. The tiger tries to capture goats; the goats aim to trap the tiger. Puli Meka (or Bagh-Chal in Nepal) is a logic game of asymmetric power. It teaches a powerful lesson: even those with less strength can win with collaboration and clever planning.

You’ll still find Puli Meka carved into stone slabs in South Indian temples—and in the memories of grandparents who learned it barefoot on front porches.

Paramapadham: The Moral Gameboard

Before Snakes and Ladders was a birthday party staple, it was a moral roadmap. Paramapadham originated in India over 1,000 years ago and was designed to teach children about virtue and vice. Each ladder represented a virtue like compassion or knowledge; each snake stood for a downfall like greed or pride.

When the British took it to Victorian England, they removed the spiritual elements. The snakes and ladders remained, but the soul of the game—the moral metaphors—were lost in translation.

Chess? Yes, Indian.

Let’s not forget Chaturanga, widely believed to be the ancestor of modern chess. Developed in the 6th century, it featured four divisions of the army—infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots—mirroring the pawn, knight, bishop, and rook. From India, it spread to Persia, and then to the rest of the world.

So yes, every time you say “checkmate,” you’re actually echoing the Persian “Shah Mat”—"The King is Dead”—but the king's first throne was Indian.

More Than Games

These traditional Indian board games weren’t just pastimes—they were tools of learning, storytelling, and bonding. They sharpened strategy, built social skills, and passed down cultural knowledge in the most engaging way: through play.

At Enchantoys, we revive these games not just for their beauty or nostalgia, but because they still have something to teach. From Ashta Chamma to Chakravyuham, each board tells a story. Each move holds a memory. Each game is a bridge—from the past to your living room table.