London - Game of children

Introduction
London Game (or London Aata) is a funny and very active outdoor game for children.This game, born at the time of British rule in India, commonly played by the children in rural villages of Andhra Pradesh. This funny game became extinct by 1980's owing to Urbanization and Western Culture influence in India.
How to play
An open space with a wall and at least 10 people are required to play this game. Children form a chained circle by holding each other's hands. They rise hands together, and suddenly claps individually with left palm facing up and right palm facing up or down. One who claps distinctly from others, become runner, and the last one who claps distinctly from other two, becomes catcher or seeker. This process is of choosing the catcher or seeker is called Chained Cut in English or Pantalu in Telugu.
Objectives of the game
(i) catcher has to touch or mobilize a runner
(ii) the runners have to cross their border line after touching the catcher.
Game Play
The catcher shuts the eyes, stands near a wall with his face facing towards it and says “L o n d o n - London”. As the catcher says “L o n d o n - London”, the runners come towards him with out his knowledge. When the catcher suddenly looks back after saying L o n d o n - London , all the runners will act as statue-like figures. If the runners succeeds to hit the catcher at a time and run away, crossing their border line, the game is repeated with the same catcher.
If any of the runners say A, continues to move, instead of remaining as statue, even after the catcher suddenly looks back, then A becomes the catcher in the next game. If the catcher cuts jokes or play pranks on a runner say B, and if B laughs or comes out of statue position, then B becomes the catcher in the next game. If the catcher captures a runner say C, while the runners are about the cross their border line, then C becomes the catcher in the next game.

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See Also

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