Chowka Bara 11 Houses Board Game

Looking for an upgrade to your Chowka Bara game experience? Look no further than Roll the Dice's Chowka Bara 11 house mat. This high-quality mat is designed to enhance your game play with its 11 houses, making it perfect for large group game play. The mat is made of durable material and can be easily rolled up for storage and transportation. It's perfect for family game nights, parties, or even for professional tournaments. Upgrade your game with Roll the Dice's Chowka Bara 11 house mat and take your Chowka Bara game to the next level!

RolltheDice's 11 House set includes 11 house mat made of high-quality silk cloth with a durable backing, as well as handcrafted pawns from the toy-making town of Channapatna. The set comes packaged in a bright red tin box for easy storage. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to Chowka Baara, this set is sure to provide hours of entertainment.

About Chowka Bara

Chowka Baara is an exciting and engaging indoor game that is popular in India. It involves rolling cowrie shells, known as kavade, to determine the next move. This game not only tests players' patience, strategy, and critical thinking skills, but it is also a great way to bring family and friends together and create lasting memories.

Do you know?

In South Karnataka, players use the following phrases while playing Chowka Bara

Use these to make the play more exciting

“itta-mane-chith” – an opponent player has to call out/shout “itta-mane-chith”  quickly when a pawn is placed in a particular square. Then the player can not revert or change her move if this is called out, else they can modify their play. Useful when player has missed using some advantageous moves.

“muttidd-kai-chith” – Opponent player has to call out/shout “muttidd-kai-chith” quickly as soon as a pawn is lifted, so that player has no other option, but to move the same pawn. The player might have lost a chance for a good move.

“moor naak shyam / moor ent shyam” – If a player throws four or eight consecutively then the opponent player can call out/shout “moor ent shyam or moor naak shyam”. If the opponent calls out first, then the numbers are nullified for the player. If a player calls out first then she can use all the 4s or 8s she has rolled.

Ages: 4yrs + 

Inside the box

Dark Blue color silk mat with outer dimensions 21”x21”.
Game blocks are embroidered with white color silk thread
Handcrafted pawns coated in lacquer made by traditional artisans at Channapattana.
10 x 4 color pawns – 1 cm height, 0.5cm dia. (Colors: Orange, Bright Red, Pineapple Yellow, Basil Green)
Set of 10 white cowrie shells and 10 black cowrie shells (kavade)
How to play instruction card
Bright red colored Tin Box (6”x8”x2”) to help store the set.

Skills

Playing Chowka Bara offers a rich blend of skill-building opportunities for children. Here are some of the key skills and capabilities that can be developed:

Cognitive Skills:

1. Strategic Thinking: Deciding which pawn to move and when to form a "gatti" requires planning and foresight.
2. Problem-Solving: Navigating through opponent pawns and avoiding being "taken out" involves quick thinking and problem-solving.
3. Mathematical Skills: Counting the number of blocks to move and understanding the values of the kavade set (cowrie shells) helps improve basic arithmetic skills.

Social Skills:

1. Teamwork: When played in teams, children learn the importance of collaboration and working towards a common goal.
2. Sportsmanship: Learning to win graciously and lose with dignity are valuable life lessons.
3. Turn-Taking: Waiting for one's turn and respecting the game's flow teaches patience and the importance of fairness.

Emotional Skills:

1. Emotional Regulation: Managing frustration when things don't go as planned and controlling excitement when winning helps in emotional maturity.
2. Empathy: Understanding the opponent's strategy and predicting their moves can foster empathy and perspective-taking.

Cultural Awareness:

1. Cultural Appreciation: Being a traditional Indian game, it also instills a sense of cultural heritage and tradition.

Fine Motor Skills:

1. Hand-Eye Coordination: Rolling the kavade set and moving the pawns helps in developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Chowka Bara is not just a game but a comprehensive skill-building activity that offers a balanced mix of cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development opportunities for children.