Onam Games » Onakalikal
Onakalikal
There are various kind of games devised for the occasion for people with different temperaments. While the old and the sober ones go in for indoor games like chess (Chathurangam), cards and dice, the young and energetic love to participate in the outdoor and robust games. These games are traditional ones and have only minor regional variation from what we see in other parts of the country.
Onakalikal also include combats, which are essentially a show of strength and physical might of the people of Kerala. Kayyankali and Attakalam are two such combats. Of the two, Kayyankali is more violent where people fight one to one with their fists.
For those who love shooting, there is a game of archery too, called Ambeyyal. It is an interesting event where bamboo bows and blunted arrows are used. People divide themselves into two teams and try to deprive each other of their stock of arrows. Though not meant to be violent, many a player get wounded in this.
The other two interesting games played on the occasion are a ball game called Talappanthukali and a variation of Kabaddi locally called Kutukutu.
Attakalam
Attakalam requires strength, dexterity and a lot of practice. Players fight and dodge each other as they go on offensive and defensive in different rounds of the combat.
Preparations for the Combat
As Attakalam is played in batches, two teams of equal strength and match are needed. Battleground is prepared by drawing a large circle on a plain sand floor. One team stands inside this circle while the other takes its place outside it.
Struggle for Victory
Attakalam requires that team standing outside the circle make effort to pull players of inside team out of it. A player for the outside team moves inside the circle to look for his prey. This player is supposed to touch the body of an inside player. This is a risky job as the inside team make all efforts to stop him from doing so. They bully the challenging player and also beat him.
As soon as the challenging player manages to touch the body of a player in the inside team, the battle gets restricted between those two. No other player of the inside team is allowed to touch the challenger. The caught player is given the liberty to struggle for his defense and exit from the circle. He can even strike a blow to his challenger.
If the challenger succeeds in driving the caught player outside the circle, the latter is considered out of the game. The combat proceeds similarly with the other players till no player is left in the inside circle.
Game then moves for its second round and an exchange of places between the two teams takes place. If any player is left inside who cannot be driven out, his team is declared successful.
Applause from the audience and a prize from the organizers is awarded to the winning team.
Kayyankali
What differentiates Kayyankali from other type of combat called 'Attakamal' is that Kayyankali is played singly while Attakamal is played in batches and is relatively less dangerous.
A Game of Strength
An ancient style game, Kayyankali rewards strength and power. The game is a risky one even though use of any weapon or horses is strictly forbidden. Violence, blood and at times even death is part of a game in Kayyankali.
To play Kayyankali players divide themselves into two equal teams. Effort is made to keep the players of two teams well matched so that the competition is made stiff and challenging for each other. Spectators who assemble in large numbers to watch the ruthless match stand on both sides of the battle ground.
The Deadly Combat
When all preparations have been made, a player from one team goes upto middle of the field and pose a challenge to the opposite party. There is also a strategy involved in the way the player moves upto the field. Combatant moves in taking certain measured steps, in accordance with the technology he wishes to adopt. His match from the opposite team takes up the challenge and comes forward taking the same measured steps.
What follows is a deadly combat. Combatants as a rule are allowed to use only their fists for attack. Left elbow is used as a shield for the attack while right arm is used as a weapon for attack. A series of attacks and counter attacks take place amidst cheering from fans of both the teams.
Combat is considered to be good and interesting when a player manages to shield himself from all the attacks made by the other player. Fall of the opponent on the ground indicates a victory for the other player. It needs great expertise to play the game as novice and amateur player at times attack the vital organs of the body which even leads to the death of a player.
The game continues similarly with other players of the team amidst continuous applause from the spectators. The victorious team is rewarded with a big prize at the end of the game.
KutuKutu
Rule of Kutukutu
To play the game, the court is divided into two equal halves by drawing a line in the middle. Players are also divided into two teams and are placed on either side of the line.
The game begins as a player from one team crosses the dividing line and enters the area of the opposite team. This player has to keep saying 'Kutu Kutu' aloud and clear in one continuous breath and at the same time try to touch a player of the opponent team. The challenging player or raider has to be smart enough to return to the central line without getting caught.
If the challenging player gets caught by the players of the opposite team and is out of breath before being able to touch the central line, he is out of the game. The game continues in a similar fashion with other players of the same team. When all players exhaust their chance, the game enters its second half and opposite team sends its players one by one.
Kutukutu is very much popular in Kerala and witnesses an enthusiastic participation of both players and onlookers.
September 29, 2017 at 3:37 AM
Kerala is one of the best tourist destination which the most of the tourist will prefer to visit during the days of the holidays. I too have visited from Nagpur in the year 2015. And i am planning to visit this year also in the month of the November. This place is actually a peaceful place and full of greenery.