Snakes and Ladders Game is one of the very old games. You must have enjoyed this game at some point or the other. This game is considered to be a product of western countries, but you know this game is being played not from foreign but from the time of ancient India.
India is the father of this game. Let us know about the history of ancient India related to this game.
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Snakes and Ladders Game History
The snake-ladder game originated from ancient India. In ancient times it was called Mokshapat or Mokshapatamu . Apart from this, it was also known as ‘Leela’ in many places in Maharashtra province of India. The main reason behind having the name ‘Leela’ was that a man should continue to take birth on earth till he gives up his bad deeds. As seen in the snake -ladder game. In the 70s, it was also known by the name ‘Gyan Chaupad’ . It means ‘Knowledge Game’. In Sanatan Dharma, a folk trick is famous by the sages, in which it has been told that Gyan Chaupad used to show the way to salvation. Not only this, Chaupad used to give salvation through the process of taking birth again and again in the yoni.
History of Snake and Ladders Game
We play the game of snake ladder with great pleasure today, but its roots are connected with the spirituality of ancient India. In ancient India this game was known as “ Moksha Patam ”. In the 13th century, Gyandev Ji of Maharashtra made Moksha Patam a means of teaching people the lessons of religion. The snake ladder made by Saint Gyandev was called ” Kailasha Patam “. Taking inspiration from Jainism, he put Vedic Sanatan Hindu values in this game and propagated it in rural India. In this way the game spread throughout the subcontinent.
If you reach the last rung of 100 in this game, then you have reached Kailash. On the board of this snake ladder you will find mention of many defects and virtues. For example, sin is written on a square where there is a three headed snake. If you do bad deeds, then you come straight down to Mahapatala. This type of learning was taught to children through this game.
This religious game of snake ladder got a facelift in the 16th century. The people of Jainism gave it the name of “Gyanbaji” and made it a means of teaching life. The purpose of this game was to make you think about the result of your daily activities while playing this game.
one of the world’s oldest games
Till date, no concrete evidence of any kind has been found about when and who started the snake ladder game. But, if folk tales are to be believed, it has been played since the second century BC. Which confirms that snake ladder is one of the oldest games in the world. On the other hand some historians believe that the snake-ladder was invented by Saint Gyandev in the 13th century. The main purpose behind inventing this game was to teach the moral values of life to the children.
‘Yeh’ game gives message of good and evil
If the game of snakes and ladders is studied deeply, then there are squares (squares) in it. Which also has many variations. All the variations had different sections. Each square represents the ‘virtue’ or ‘demerits’ of the person playing. For example, the section in which there is a ladder represents the ‘guna’ which gives you the way forward. Whereas the class in which the snake has a hood, it points towards the evils. On reaching the snake section, you have to descend.
In Hinduism, it was an integral part of children’s education, because in this they learned to distinguish between good and bad deeds very easily. The stairs present in the snake -ladder signify good qualities such as kindness, trust and humility. On the other hand, snake represents bad luck, anger and murder etc.
Friends, if the whole essence of snake ladder game is understood in pure Hindi, then it means that it shows the path of salvation to the person only after doing good deeds. On the other hand, people who do bad deeds have to suffer the tortures of snakes to reach salvation. If you understand as an example – in the path of life, no evil in the form of a snake allows people to grow up and once again they have to start a new life.
19th century game
Friends, it is important for you to know that many scholars also associate the origin of this game with ancient Jain circles. Whatever be the history, the meaning of this game is almost the same in every religion that humans should stop doing bad deeds in life.
During the 19th century, the game of snakes and ladders had reached England during the colonial period in India. The British government also took this ancient Indian game Mokshapat with them to their country. The British made some changes in it accordingly. The game of Snakes and Ladders in English and world famous as ‘Snakes and Ladders’ . The British had now removed the morally and religiously linked Sanatani Hindu idea behind it. Now the number of snakes and stairs in this game was also equal. There are as many stairs as there are snakes.
After England, this game has now reached the United States as well. In the year 1943, this game became very popular among the American people. Milton Bradley introduced America to this snake-ladder game. There the game was named ‘Shoot and Ladders ‘.
Snakes and Ladders Game of luck
Friends, the interesting thing about the game of snakes and ladders is that you cannot put your insidious mind in it. It is completely a game dependent on luck. If your piece has reached the number 98. Just need two more points and you can win the game with luck. But, it often happens that the biggest snake in the game, which is on 99 points, bites you and sends you down on one point. After which you have to start the game again. If seen from another perspective, this game in a way shows the process of being born again. The number 100 present in this game represents ‘Moksha’ . The objective of this game was to reach the number 100 by crossing the snake-stairs.
still popular today
Well, with time, many changes happened in the game. This snake-ladder game is so much fun even today that whoever played this game in childhood, they would hardly have forgotten it. The simplicity and easy rules of Indian ancient game compel everyone to play it. Even though it is not possible to carry the board everywhere today, the game is now available on smartphones as well.
Friends, this was a small history of snakes, how did you like this information, do tell us by commenting.
