The University of Nalanda c13.143

c13.143

Wrestling and boxing are evidently referred to in the words 'they used to wrestle and to box with their fists.' Chariot races are nowadays replaced by horse races, and archery by target-shooting, which our undergraduates practise in the U.T.C. Camp. The game of hopping over diagrams is still a favourite sport with Hindus. There are two such games current among them. One is usually played by young boys and girls. In it the player has to hop on one leg. The other game is more intelligent and skilful. Grown-up persons and young children alike play this game. Here the play mainly consists in crossing three or four squares without being caught by players of the opposite side. In vernacular this game is called ‘*Ātā-pātā*.’ Since the game is spoken of in connexion with grown-up persons, probably it is the latter game that is referred to and not the former, which is only resorted to by young children.