Appendix to A rangOli story - part IX

I mentioned in my story (part IX) the solitaire played by seetAdEvi in aSOkavana. I am very fond of this and other similar games as there is lot of mathematical calculations in them. This game is very popular in south India, mainly played by women and children (like me) for pleasure and played by men as an aid to their gambling pursuits. It goes by the name of chenne maNe in kannaDa, vAmanaguMTalu in telugu and pallAMguzhi in tamizh. There are several ways of playing this. As many know, it is made up of wood and has seven hollows scooped out on either side. The four ways I know of playing this game are: (1) twelve shells in each hollow on either side, central hollow has one. Clockwise deposition of the shells and accumulation of the shells when there are six in each hollow (karu or paSu), accumulation of the central portion (kASi) if the previous hollow is empty, losing the turn when one reaches a hollow or before the central hollow. (2) Game similar to the above with six shells and four for karu (paSu). (3) Seven shells in each hollow and accumulating the shells in the hollows at the corners (mUle). (4) sItAdEvi's game as described in the story. Seeta and Rama seem to have played this game as evidenced by a tyAgarAja kRti given below. Playing this game is supposed to help the newlywed to understand each other like Seeta and Rama (Helpful hint to the newly married or marrying couples :-). There is lot of calculation going into the game like which hollow is good for starting the play so that one may get more shells. The shells used may be cowrie shells or tamarind seeds or similar small round objects.

vina nAsakOni yunnAnurA visvarUpuDa! nE ... pallavi
(I am hoping to listen to your voice, O universal one)

manasAraga vInula viMdugA madhuramaina palukula ... anupallavi
(I am hoping to listen to your words to sweeten my ears)

sItAramaNitO "vAmanaguMTa" lADi gelucuTa
cEta nokari nokaru jUchi A bhAva merigi sA-
kEtAdhipa nijamagu prEmatO balkukonna muccaTa
vAtAtmaja bharatalu vinnaTula tyAgarAjasannuta ... charaNaM

(After playing a game of shells with your partner sItA
you were both exchanging glances of love and affection
and you were talking endearingly with each other
and this has been witnessed by hanuma and bharata
O Lord worshipped by tyAgarAja)

Regards! - mOhana