butchas.

near the beginning of my stay in India, my boss asked me in an e-mail if I wouldn't mind picking up a rock for her there. she has collected many rocks from many different places and I said I didn't mind a bit. but I have to admit I laughed because a rock from India is not unlike a rock from St. George or Provo. on my last day, though, I snatched a rock from 3rd grade Nandini, realizing there was so much life to the rocks here.

my first time at P.T. (Physical Training) 2 first grade boys were playing a game in the dirt with small stones. they drew a 4-square box in the dirt, each placing 3 rocks in corners of their choice. the boys started shifting the stones, and then would yell at each other like they were grown men in an argument over a fender-bender. waving their hands and shouting like maniacs. I don't know what they were saying because I didn't understand their accents then. I soon came to learn how to play the game and thought it quite clever. it is akin to tic-tac-toe with a little more complication. I couldn't believe these four and five-year-olds playing a game that seemed to take so much brain power. it was a mind game and I remember thinking that it is human nature to make use of what we have. for these kids, it is dirt and stones. throughout my 3 months, I learned many more games that make the best of a stone and a little South-India dirt.

playing 5-stones was not nearly as fun as learning how to play it from Shree Shakti and other 3rd grade girls. "Miss you should toss the stones, then you should take one stone, throw the stone, then pick up one and you should catch it Miss." her little voice going up and down. I could listen to those instructions every day for the rest of my life. she is so darling. my eyes were fastened on the way their hands twisted when they tossed the stones--their hands so delicate and mature. watching them, I knew they'd done this a thousand times because it looked like they'd done it a thousand times. their apparent experience made them seem like women crocheting. the stones in their hands were so natural and easy. I thought it was beautiful.

and it took me nearly the entire 3 months to learn how to play 4-block. my word! how many times I tried to get Sumathi to explain it to me. but somehow it just didn't work out until some 5th grade girls showed me the ropes. you draw 4 big squares, the way we think of 4-square (with a ball). you and your one team member each throw a "butcha" (that's what it sounds like to me--the Tamil word for "stone") to your respective first block. this is the first game. you hop on one foot, "stamping" (or stomping on) the stone, and then kicking it (still hopping) to the next block. the rules are, you have to stamp it every time it gets to a new block, the stone cannot touch the line and neither can your foot. if you become out, your only hope (the girls would say this to each other: "I became out! you are the only hope for me!") was your team member. if she moves on the next game (ridiculous rules like doing it with your eyes closed and holding your foot up by your waist), so do you--even if you didn't make it on your own. hop scotch was the same elaborate endeavor. same ridiculous rules and the like. but another game of drawing in the sand and throwing the stones.

my roommates asked me today if I learned any Indian games. I told them I learned a ton. they said I would have to teach them for Family Home Evening or something. I told them all we need is dirt and some butchas.

5 stones

Shree Shakti, 3rd grade girl

Sumathi, 3rd grade girl, playing 5-stones