Seven Stones is a traditional game with ancient roots played in various forms across different cultures, particularly in South and Southeast Asia. Depending on the region of India, it is known by many names, such as Seven Stones, Lagori, Pitto or Pittu, Pithu Garam, Garam, and Lingo, to name a few, but I found over twenty different names based on the region of India. Seven Stones, or versions close enough to suggest that they are related, are also played in the countries of Iran, Bangladesh (Satoliya), Nepal (Satoliya), Myanmar (Hinket), Pakistan (Lingor), Afghanistan (Gul-gul), Sri Lanka, Maldives, Philippines (Piko) Thailand (Khalang), Indonesia (Bentengan), Malaysia (Guli or Guli Pangkah), and Vietnam.

The game is believed to have originated in India, likely in the region of Maharashtra, and at least dates back to the time of the Bhagavata Purana, one of the eighteen ancient sacred Hindu texts. In it, it is mentioned that the god Krishna played the game with friends. Based on the age of the text, this would make the game at least three thousand years old; however, it could be as old as five thousand years.

Over time, the game spread across Asia due to trade, cultural exchange, and migration. It made its way to Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka through natural contact between civilizations. However, the British Empire, during colonization, played a role in spreading the game to Africa, the Caribbean, and parts of Southeast Asia. The game is now played in at least thirty countries, many with similar and slightly evolved rule sets with different names. However, the fundamental rules remain similar: one team knocks down the stone stack while the other team tries to prevent them from rebuilding it by hitting players with the ball.

In contemporary times, Seven Stones has seen a massive resurgence, especially in India. While it remains popular in rural areas and among children, a coordinated effort was made to standardize the game and invite international competition in the Indian Lagori Premier League. A similar thing happened to another ancient Indian sport called Kabaddi, which also saw a growth in its popularity due to an organized league that televised matches.

Besides being played for fun in villages and schools, it is often seen during festivals and community gatherings too. The simplicity of the game — requiring only a ball and some stones — makes it accessible, even in areas with limited resources. In urban settings, though, it is not as widespread due to the rise of digital games and organized sports. However, there are efforts to revive traditional games like Seven Stones through community-driven initiatives and organizations aimed at preserving cultural heritage.

I love this game because it is one of the few, maybe even the only, traditional games I can think of where rebuilding something is a win condition. So often, games are about invading and scoring or dominating someone. Most games resemble a power struggle for dominance, and while there is a power struggle, the purpose is to rebuild what was broken. Obviously, this has literal and figurative meanings behind this play mechanic. This game teaches the young child to fix what they broke, for the team that knocks down the tower is the one to rebuild it. Figuratively, the rebuilding process teaches that resilience and persistence are necessary for society. No matter how many times the tower might fall or they fail, they will get another chance to try again.

My students absolutely loved this game for several reasons. First and foremost, they always want to play dodgeball, and this game has a dodgeball-style component to it without making it the sole focus. Secondly, my students love building blocks and Legos, so getting the chance to try and rebuild a tower under immense pressure is thrilling. Thirdly, the beginning of the game for the throwing player feels like a carnival game that requires ultimate accuracy to hit the target. Lots of players miss the blocks, so when they are hit, it’s a quick celebration for the thrower, but then they must reset their mindset into rebuilding and avoiding the tagging team. I have no doubt that your students will love this game as much as mine do.

Materials:

• Large Jenga or wooden blocks

• One dodgeball

• Jerseys with two different colors to delineate the teams

• Minimum Number of Students Needed: While this game could be played with as few as four players total, the perfect number is closer to twelve or fourteen. However, the game easily accommodates up to twenty if you have a large enough playing space. Once you have more players than twenty, it may be worth having multiple games instead of one large game.

Prior Knowledge: This lesson is perfect for your students studying India, but so many central and southeast Asian countries play this game that it could be used for many different cultural studies.