Seven Stones: A Traditional Game in India

Seven stones is a traditional game in India that’s played across the country. It’s an ancient Indian outdoor game also known as Lagori. It’s like dodgeball but has extra features and is even more competitive!

Want to learn how to play seven stones? Keep reading!

How to Play the Seven Stones Game

To play this game with stones, you need:

• A ball.
• Seven stones that can be piled on top of each other.
• A minimum of 2 to 4 players on each team.

There can be any number of players for this game as long as two teams each have an equal number of players. The more players on each team, the greater the fun!

Set boundaries for a playing field and pile the seven stones on top of one another in the center of the boundary area.

A coin toss usually decides which team starts the game.

The first team begins by trying to knock over the stones with a ball from a particular distance. This team gets three chances from three different players to knock over the pile of stones.

If they’re unable to knock over the pile of stones in three tries, it becomes the other team’s turn.

But if they successfully knock over the stones, the next stage of the game begins. After the first team knocks the stones over, the second team will get the ball and try to hit players from the opposing team below their knees, somewhat like dodgeball!

At the same time, the first team will try to restack the pile of stones and trace a circle around them three times with their finger. They try to do this before the other team knocks all their players out.

If they succeed, they get one point and the chance to hit the stones again.

However, if the team fails to do this and all players are out, the defending team will gain the point, and they will now have a turn to hit the pile of stones.

When the defending team tries to throw the ball at the opposing team, they must not move around with the ball in their hands. The player with the ball must stand in the place where he or she caught the ball and throw it. The ball should not remain in the player’s hands for more than 60 seconds.

This player can also pass the ball to other members on his team. If the seven stones are knocked over in such a way that only a few stones are disrupted, the players can restack them in no time and have a higher chance of winning the game.

Winning Lagori

Lagori continues until a set number of points is reached. There isn’t a fixed rule for the number of points to win. Instead, teams decide the point goal before they begin.

More About the Seven Stones Game

The seven stones game has been played throughout India for thousands of years. And many believe it originated in south India. Now, Lagori is so popular that it’s played around the world. It’s also included as a sport in the National Games of India, an event very similar to the Olympics.

Want to Play More Fun Games Like Seven Stones?

We hope you enjoyed learning more about the seven stones game! Looking for more fun games to play? Check out these games kids play in Asia!

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NOTE FROM EDITOR: This content honors Compassion’s historical work in India. While we no longer have an India sponsorship program, we are grateful for the lives changed and meaningful work achieved through our sponsors and donors in our nearly 50 years there. Learn more about our work in Asia.