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Celebration of Kerala's Tradition & Culture

Kuttiyum Kolum

Kuttiyum Kolum (boy and cane) is a traditional game enjoyed by children on a regular basis and not just during Onam. This game has many local names like Kottiyum Pullum, Chuttiyum Kolum, Chottayum Maniyum, Ettiyum Kolum and Chullum Vadiyum. This folk game is similar to cricket and baseball. A kol is a stick of wood about one cubit long (18 inches) and a kutti is a small stick of two-and-a-half inches long.


The game begins with the digging of a small hole on the ground and placing the kutti in it. If the player manages to catch the kutti without hitting the ground, the player is out. If the kutti cannot be captured, the player will place the kol upright on top of the small stick. The kutti should be thrown from the place where the kutti is lying to the opposite pole. The player must cross these two hurdles to play the first point. The next stage of the game is to hit the kutti with a stick. The kutti should be thrown with maximum force so that it will reach the next pit.


The point is calculated by the distance covered by the kutti using the kolu. If the last digit of the point is three, he must play Mukkapuram. If it is seven, you should play Kozhikaal. From one to nine, points are named in this manner. If the player is able to win 10 points without failing, it is called Chottayil Keruka.


While the game is called Kuttiyum Kolum in southern and central Kerala, it is known as Kuttiyum Pullum in the Malabar region. Other names like Ottakayyan, Kalakomban and Mukappuram are also used. The game is slowly being forgotten by children as cricket is taking over their likes. Moreover, the increased cases of eye injury have resulted in the game being banned in schools.

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