Tip-Cat (GilliDanda)
To Read in Hindi –>
If you wonder what is Gilli danda or Tip-cat then you might be pretty young. But if you might have heard about Gilli danda from your parents which they use to play in their childhood.
You can do one thing just suddenly ask like “Do you ever played Gilli danda?” you will see a smile on his face.
So, lets introduce you to this game.
Basically, Gilli Danda is a game played by using a stick and another flat piece of wood also called “Gilli”. It is a game somehow like cricket played mainly in villages.
It was played between people of all age groups. Gilli danda is also played in other countries like Turkey, South Africa, Italy, Poland, etc.
Gilli Danda is known by different names in different places(just like any other game) like:
Vitti dandu (Maharashtra), Kitti (Tamil Nadu), Gulli danda (Punjab), Tip-cat (England), Klipa (Poland), Konda kondi (Malaysia), etc.
History of Tip-Cat (Gillidanda)
Gilli Danda is an ancient sport of India, possibly with origins over 2500 years ago.
This game is believed to be the origin of Western games such as cricket, baseball, and softball.
|Related – About Lagori Game
How to play Tip-Cat (Gillidanda)
Gilli danda can be played individually or team. The team who wins the toss decides either bat first or to field first. The striker from the batting team first hit the small wooden piece to float it up in the air and then strikes it while in mid-air.
If the fielders catch the Gilli then the striker is out. If no one catches it then the distance is measured with that danda and the length of danda is equal to 1 run.
Striker scores as many runs as the number of times it takes to cover the distance with the Danda. But if the striker misses the Gilli three times then he is declared out. So, the first inning over when all strikers of the batting team are out. Then the opponent team has to score more runs to win the game.
|Related – know more about Kho Kho
Rules of Tip-Cat (Gillidanda)
1. Players play the Gilli danda using a stick (danda) and another flat wooden piece with sharp edges (Gilli).
2. It can be played individually or as a team.
3. Toss will decide the team to either choose batting or fielding.
4. The striker from the batting team should stand in a circle (about a diameter of 4 meters).
5. The striker hit the Gilli while in mid-air but if he misses 3 times then he is declared out.
6. The striker hits the Gilli and the fielding team catches it then the striker is out but if no one catches it then the striker is safe the distance covered by Gilli is converted into runs.
7. The length of Danda is equal to one run.
8. The first inning will end when all strikers from the batting team are out.
9. The opponent team has to score more runs than the batting team to win the game.
My thoughts on Tip-Cat (Gillidanda)
First of all, I never played this game but whatever I heard from my elder it was once a legendary game of their time. Even there were these games like cricket, football but people were crazy about this game.
Like other old games like Lagori(link), Kho-Kho(link), etc. Gilli danda is also fading and almost gone in cities and also from villages.
But federations like Gilli Danda International Federation (for more info) – put too much effort to make this game again one of most childhood played games.
So, if you enjoyed reading this then please leave a comment or you can comment down any new things that you know about it in the comments also. We will meet soon till then…
—Dhanyavaad—