INDIAN SPORTS CULTURE
Eleven sangh ichalkarahji continously strides for the uplifment and improvement
of Ancient Indian sports Culture. It promotes, developes and trains children to take up and
achieve remarkable feats in Traditional Indian Sports thereby enhancing and cherishing
the Indian Culture into the coming generation.
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KHO - KHO
Introduction
Kho-Kho is a game
of speed and control. It is
based on natural principles of
physical developement and
fosters a healthy combative
spirit.It calls for physical
fitness, agility, speed, stamina
and determination in a player.
Dodging and controlled
sprinting makes the game
exciting.
The Origin
Kho Kho has been extremely popular in all the Marathi speaking areas. For
many years this game used to be played in an informal manner. In 1919 the Deccan
Gymkhana Club of Poona tried to formalise the game and helped to increaseits popularity.
The first edtion of rules,of Atyapatya Kho-Kho and Hu-Tu-Tu, was published in 1935 by
the nwly founded Akhil Maharashtra Eleven sangh . Three years later a second
amendment as published.
The Playfield
(1) The Kho-Kho field is rectangular and measures 34 metres by 16 metres.
(2) X and Y are two rectangles. One side of the rectangle is 16 meters (breadth of the
playfield) and the other side is 4.8 meters.
(3) At M and N there shallbe tow wooden poles.
(4) M N is a centrallane 24.4 m long and 30 cm wide.There are eight smallsquares 30 cm by
30 cm on the lane (G). The center of each square is at a distance of 2.7 m form the center of
its adjacent square.
(5) There are eight crosslanes which lie across the small squares and each of which is 16
meters in length and 30 cm in breadth, at right angles to the central lane and divided
equally into two parts of 7.85 m and each by the centrallane (AB).
Main Areas Of the Game
The two main areas which require careful training in this game are: (1) Turning
at a pole, and (2) Getting up in a crosslane.
(1) Turning at a pole.
Turning at a pole is very important.
Both the defender and chaser have to approach
the pole for some reason or other. The three
major turns are: (a) short turn, (b) middle turn
and (c) long turn.
(a) Short turn: In the short turn, the chaser has
to make an angle of 20 degrees at the pole with
the central line. For doing so, the chaser has to
change suddenly from the straight path at high
speed to a circular path. Because of centrifugal
force which is in operation in such a situation a body moving along a circular path of
release has a tendency to move in the tangential direction of circular path at the point of
release. This pitfall must be carefully explained to the beginner. While turning at a pole,
the chaser is advised to take full support of the pole by not stretching the arm completely
and with outer footing. It is normally used when a defender is playing a double chain game.
The advantage of a short turn is to maintain speed and tempo of chasing. The disadvantage
of a short turn is that there is every possibility of an active defender giving a "palti" to a
chaser.
(b) Middle turn: The distance between a defender and chaser running on one side of the
field is very small. As such the chaser has a good chance of getting the defender out at or
near the pole. To avoid this danger the defender should take turn at an angle of 40-45
degress to the control line on the other side of the pole which is known as middle turn. It is
safer for a defender as well as chaser.
(c) Long turn: Long turn is mainly played in 3 ways - single chain game, double chain game
and ring game. Ring game requiresmore presence of mind, control of footwork and speed
together with the judgement about the chaser.It also attracts spectators. A slight error of
judgement can give advantage toa chaser to touch the defender easily. The skillful defender
keeps the best of chaser at one end of the field and continues his ring game in the other end.
When the ring game near a pole is played by the defender it is advisable for the chaser to
turn at an angle of 60 degrees at a pole which is known as long turn. It is very difficult for a
defender to take a palti when a chaser has taken a long turn at a pole thereby avoiding the
possibility of diminishing the speed of his chaser. The main disadvantage in a long turn at
the pole is that it takes a little longer. But that is unavoidable.
(2) Getting up in a crosslane
While getting up in a crosslane the chaser should judge the defender by taking into
consideration the distance between him and the defender. Tha chaser must follow the
shortest distance by taking a particular direction to the crosslane. There can be three
possible directions to be judged by the chaser: going up two-thirds of the crosslane straight
and take the direction, getting up one-third of crosslane straight and take the direction,
getting up one or two steps straight and take the direction. While performing all these
actions and while changing direction the chaser should spread his arms. In other words,
the chaser should cover the defender in such a way so as to prevent the defender from
giving palti.
Rules of the Game
This is a no-implement game. Rules of the game are given below:
1. Duration.
(a) Each side consists of 9 players.
(b) An innings will consist of chasing and running turns which will be of seven minutes
duration. Each match will consist of 2 innings.
(c) An interval of 5 minutes is allowed after an innings and 2 minutes between two turns.
2. The side of the chaser scores one point for putting out each runner.
3. The chaser of runner has the option to end the turn before the expiry of the alloted time.
4. The captain of the toss winning team will have the choice of chasing or running.
5. At the commencement of the game the eight chasers (players sitting in the square) will sit
in the squares facing opposite directions. No adjacent chasers should face in the same
direction.The 9th chaser will stand at either of the posts.
6. The runners will fix their entry serially with the scorer
7. At the commencement of the game three runners are to get inside the court. As soon as a
runner is put out the next three runners must enter the field before "kho" is given. If a
runner fails to enter the field, he is given out.
8. A runner goes out by the following means:
(a) If touched by a chaser.
(b) Fails to enter the field when a runner is given out.
(c) If he touches the seated chasers twice or after receiving a warning for similiar
infringement.
9. Rules for the chasers:
(a) "Kho" is to be given from behind a sitting chaser and loudly.
(b) The seated chaser shall not get up without getting "Kho".
(c) An active chaser shall not recede to give "Kho".
(d) An active chaser is not to cross the central line.
(e) After getting "Kho" the sitting chaser becomes active and follows the direction he is
facing
(f) An active chaser is not to cross the central line.
(g) He is to take the direction that he has initially taken to the M or N posts.
(h) When an active chaser leaves a post, he shall go in the direction of other posts
remaining on the side of the central line which he was facing before leaving the post.
(i) Chasers are not to obstruct runners while being seated.
(j) The face (shoulder line) of an active chasre must be in a direction he has taken. He shall
not turn his face. He is only allowed to turn his face parallel to the central line.
(k) If a foul is committed by an active chaser he will be directed to go in opposite direction
of his chaser as indicated by the umpire and if a runner is put out by this act he will not be
given out.
(l) When an active chaser lets go his hold of the post or goes beyond the rectangles he is
known as leaving the post.
Scoring
The side of the chasers scores 1 point for putting out each runner. If one team scores 9
points more than the other team, the winning team may ask the losers to chase without
their option to chase afterwards. The substitute shallbe allowed to replace an injured
player at the discretion of the referee.
Game Officials
Two Umpires. - They supervise the game in their respective halves, divided by the central line. A foul is
indicated by continous short whistles till the foul is corrected. An "out" is declared by a short whistle.
Referee. - The referee helps the umpires and gives the final decision in case of any difference between
them.
Time-keeper. - He keeps the record of timeand hands it over to the scorer at the end of an innings. He
starts the turn by blowing a whistle: one long and one short. The end of the turn is indicated by a long
whistle.
Scorer. - Keeps a record of runners who are out and makes them sit.
Assistant Scorer. - He helps the scorer.
Definitions
(1) Posts. - Two woodenposts shall be fixed at M and N.They shall be 120 cm above the ground and
their circumference shall be from 30 to 40 cm.
(2) Centrallane. - The rectangle 24.4 m long and 30 cm broad between the posts M and N is knownas
the centrallane.
(3) Crosslane. - Each of the rectangles 16 m long and 30 cm broad, intersecting the centrallane at right
angles at regular intervals and itself being divided into two halves, is known as the Crosslane.
(4) Square. - Each of the rectangles 30 cm x 30 cm which os formed by the intersection of the
centrallane and the crosslane is known as a Square.
(5) The line of the post. - The line which goes through the center of the post and is parallel to the
crosslanes is known as the line of the post.
(6) The Rectangle. - The field outside the line of the post is known as the Rectangle.
(7) The Limits. - The two side lines at a distance of 7.85 m from the centrallane (and parallel to that
lane) and the lines forming the outer boundary of the two rectangles are known as the Limits.
(8) Chaser. - The players sitting in the squares are known as Chasers. An Active Chaser is a player who
pursues the players of the opposite side (runners) with a view to tag and touch them.
(9) Runners. - The players of the side other than the chasers are known as Runners.
(10) To give Kho. - To give Kho perfectly, an active chaser should utter the word 'KHO' loudly and
distinctly as soon as he/she touches the sitting chaser by hand from behind a sitting chaser.
(11) Foul. - If a sitting or an active chaser violates or commits the breach of any rule, it is known as a
Foul. A foul is to be declared by a continous short whistle until the foul is corrected.
(12) To take a direction. - To go from one post to another post is known as taking a direction.
(13) To turn the face. - When an active chaser, while going in a particular direction, turns his/her
shoulder line (the imaginary line joining his/her shoulders) through more than a right angle to the
direction, he/she is siad to have turned the face and this is a foul.
(14) To recede. - When an active chaser, while going in a particular direction, goes in the opposite
direction he/she is said to have receded and it is a foul.
(15) To leave the post-line. - When as active chaser lets go his/her hold or touch of a post or goes
beyond and leaves the rectangle either of these actions are known as leaving the post-line.
(16) Foot out. - When both the feet of a runner ate touching the ground outside the limits, he/she is
said to have placed his/her feet out and he/she is out.
(17) Lona. - When all the players are out a Lona is said to be scored against the runners by the chasers.