VALLATTAM - வல்லாட்டம்
VALLATTAM - CHESS OF THE TAMILS
வல்லாட்டம் - பழந்தமிழர் விளையாட்டு
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| Vallattam gamesmen - Poluvampatti Tamil Nadu |
Vallattam (வல்லாட்டம்) or Vallupor ( வல்லுப்போர்) is a board game played by two players. It is a variant of the Sangam board games called Vallu. Known as the mother game of Chaturanga. Vallatam is also the oldest board game in India. It is one of the oldest chess like games in the world. Vallatam is known as "The Chess of the Tamils" as it has been enthusiastically played in public forums by Tamils since ancient times.References to this game in Sangam literature suggest that it was played as early as the 3rd century BC.
Game: These games are played in public forums in the middle of towns. The game is divided into eight stages in the Sangam system of government called "Yenberayam". we can know that it was a game like chess.
2000-year-old Sangam literature mentions Vallattam gamesmen, board, and recent archeological excavations have discovered it.
Game: These games are played in public forums in the middle of towns. The game is divided into eight stages in the Sangam system of government called "Yenberayam". we can know that it was a game like chess.
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| vallattam chess |
2000-year-old Sangam literature mentions Vallattam gamesmen, board, and recent archeological excavations have discovered it.
Vallu palagai (Vallu board):
"Kalithokai" song 94 mentions that the board on which the vallattam was played was called the Valluppalagai. "Akananuru" 377 mentions that it was played by old men. The scepter was suspended and the calculations compare it to the height of a dwarf suggesting that it was a square slab approximately two to three feet in squre shape. "Purananuru" mentions that vallattam was played not only on the board but also on the floor of houses.
Vallu kaai (Vallu gamesmen):
Excavations at Boluvampatti in Coimbatore have found evidence of Sangam people making and playing with game pieces like elephants, horses, warriors and kings in terracotta. Also there are many chess pieces like flint game pieces available.A literary reference to the Vallu kai suggests that Koor-shaped pods with a wide base and a small top were also used in later times, as "Kutrala Kuravanji" mentions them as having the shape of a pubescent girl's breast.
Kottai (Fort) is a Tamil word for an elephant in the Vallattam game. Sangam literature mentions (Akananuru - 26) that the elephant was used to demolish the enemy's fort.Thomas Troutman mentioned in his book 'Elephants and Kings: An Environmental History' that the first army of elephants was created in South India and it was mostly used to destroy the enemy's forts.Thus it can be seen that the word "Kottai" has been used for many years in Vallatam to refer to an elephant. The elephant army is the most important of the Tamil army. Vallattam also has the name Yanaikkuppu(Elephant game). This is referred to by Eedu of "Nalaira dhivya prabandham".Yanaikkuppu also means a game played with an elephant.
Vallunar (Expert):
"Kalithokai" song 94 mentions that the board on which the vallattam was played was called the Valluppalagai. "Akananuru" 377 mentions that it was played by old men. The scepter was suspended and the calculations compare it to the height of a dwarf suggesting that it was a square slab approximately two to three feet in squre shape. "Purananuru" mentions that vallattam was played not only on the board but also on the floor of houses.
Vallu kaai (Vallu gamesmen):
Excavations at Boluvampatti in Coimbatore have found evidence of Sangam people making and playing with game pieces like elephants, horses, warriors and kings in terracotta. Also there are many chess pieces like flint game pieces available.A literary reference to the Vallu kai suggests that Koor-shaped pods with a wide base and a small top were also used in later times, as "Kutrala Kuravanji" mentions them as having the shape of a pubescent girl's breast.
Kottai (Fort) is a Tamil word for an elephant in the Vallattam game. Sangam literature mentions (Akananuru - 26) that the elephant was used to demolish the enemy's fort.Thomas Troutman mentioned in his book 'Elephants and Kings: An Environmental History' that the first army of elephants was created in South India and it was mostly used to destroy the enemy's forts.Thus it can be seen that the word "Kottai" has been used for many years in Vallatam to refer to an elephant. The elephant army is the most important of the Tamil army. Vallattam also has the name Yanaikkuppu(Elephant game). This is referred to by Eedu of "Nalaira dhivya prabandham".Yanaikkuppu also means a game played with an elephant.
Vallunar (Expert):
Those who mastered Vallatam were called Vallunar(Tam-expert). As a result of this, even today, the practice of calling those who excel in a field as experts continues.
Yenperayam: In Vallatam, the stages and stages of the Sangam regime system are arranged in the eight headed numeration system. The regime group for the kings of Tamil Nadu is the yenperayam. This is the custom of the Sangam period. The "Nikandu" mentions that Secretary (செயலாளர்), police (காவல்), Village chief (ஊர்தலைவர்), Army chiefs (படைத்தலைவர்), Volunteer (தொண்டர்), Elephant squad (யானைப்படை), Horse squad (குதிரைப்படை) Plow squad (உழவர்ப்படை) were present in that group.They are
- Ceyalalar / ( கரணத்தின் திரள்கள் - secretary)
- Kaaval / (வாய்க்கடை காப்போர் - Police)
- Ur Thalaivar / (நகரி மாக்கள் - Village chief)
- Padai Thalaivar / (படைத்தலைவர் - Army chief)
- Thondar Padai / (கிளைச்சுற்றம் -Volunteer)
- Yaanai Padai / (யானை ஊர்வோர் - Elephant squad)
- Kuthirai Padai / ( குதிரை ஊர்வோர் - Horse squad)
- Uzlavar Padai / ( காவிதியர் - Plow squad)
Tolkappiyam mentions yenperayam as an eight structure.The 'Cilapathikaram' mentions that there was an Enperayam group in the Cheran Sengutuvan Palace.
Vallattam is a war game. "Paripadal" refers to it as "Valluppor"(vallu-war). It is also said that War god Murugan played Vallattam. Also the word Val in Tamil means walk, march and charioteer |
| கீழடியில் கிடைத்த வல்லாட்ட காய்கள் Vallata pieces from Keeladi excavation |
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| vallattam - Tamil chess வல்லாட்டம் |
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| வல்லாட்டம் - தமிழர்களின் சங்ககால விளையாட்டு |
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| VALLATTAM (BC-500) ANCIENT CHESS GAME |
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| Vallattam game BC.500 CHESS |
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