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Catch me if you can!!

Bangles are very popular in all parts of India. Excavations have unearthed colourful and handcrafted bangles, made of different materials, dating back many centuries in various parts of India.

Kreeda’s thread bangles are light-weight and are hand crafted by local artisans.

Age :5+

A Little Colour. A Little Craft. A Lot of Fun

In the colourful alleys of Rajasthan the game of 5 stones is played with beautifully hand-crafted game pieces made of lac. Kreeda introduces these special game pieces if you wish to add a little colour to your game.

Our pieces are specially handcrafted for Kreeda by master craftsman – Avaz Mohammed, a National award winner and a sprightly 72 year old.

Age : 5+

Toss and Pick in Perfect Rhythm

Kazhakodi seeds are natural products and hence have limited shelf life.

One of the most ancient of games, it is hours of fun with just 5 stones! Tossing and picking them in perfect rhythm without missing is a skill that speaks of excellent hand-eye co-ordination and concentration. In early days stones were easily available by the roadside and the process of play smoothened and rounded them off.

Today Kreeda has picked the most beautiful of stones for you and coupled them with Kazhakodi (kalichchikkai, kantkaranj or grey nicker bean) seeds – traditionally used to teach children as they are lighter and do not hurt if dropped.

Age : 5+

Played with Shell-Shaped wooden pieces

Cowrie shells are used in India for all purposes, from decorative ornaments to edging for clothes. They have even been used as currency in many olden civilizations around the world. Shells are available in various colours and sizes and are available in plenty. So, they have been a popular element in traditional Indian games. Shells are also often used as substitutes for dice. History makes references to Emperor Akbar playing games using such shells.

As collecting cowrie shells in bulk affects our bio-diversity, our beautifully crafted shell-shaped wooden pieces are a wonderful substitute and give you hours of fun.

Age : 5+

Also known as: The Top and String, Lattu, Bangaram, Pambaram

Spinning a top is a fun experience for children - a skill that unfortunately seems to be dying out. Kreeda’s bambarams are brightly coloured in the trademark red and yellow. The wooden nail with a slightly flattened tip makes it even safer for children.

Age : 8+

Also known as: Vettai, Athara Seiya, Goti ka Khel, Bagh Chal

Solah Seedi is a battle field game for two, where each player has 16 equally matched game pieces. The aim is to occupy enemy territory through strategic moves and planned efforts, thus defeating the opponent. An exciting game, popular across India. Look out for inscriptions of these boards in old temples and monuments – proof that it has been played for years.

Age : 8+

Also known as: Nine Men’s Morris, Nav Kakri, Muhle

This is a strategy game in which the aim is to get as many points as possible by getting three pieces in a row. Two players are given 9 coins each. The players try to move them to get 3 coins in a row. Although the purpose is similar to noughts and crosses, the game is far more complex as coins can be moved and the opponent’s coins can be removed. Suitable for children over five and adults.

Age : 8+

Aslo known as: Eight and Four, Kattam Kali, Chauka Baara, Changapoo, Ettu Veedu, Kattam Kazhi, Aada Sada

Four players can participate in this game that's similar to Ludo. The purpose is to take your counters from the starting point to the safety of home. However, the game is traditionally played with cowrie shells instead of dice. To protect our biodiversity, we have discontinued the use of cowrie shells and we use game pieces made out of paper powder handmade by women. We seek your support in this initiative. This game is suitable for children over five and adults.

Age : 5+

Also known as: A Battlefield game in 24 Squares

This is a game drawn from an old book written in Sanskrit by Harikrishna, son of Venkatram in the late nineteenth century. It is interesting to read the first stanzas of the book and appreciate the importance he gave to play.

“I hereby describe the organization, structure and rules of this ancient shastra (games), the reason being that there is no such book available and the scholars do not study them. In this book there is a description of several board games, the intention of this shastra being that people will enhance their brain power by playing them.”

It was about the same time that Krishnaraja Wodeyar of Mysore developed and promoted many similar interesting games.

The game we have here is a simple strategy game described by Harikrishna as a game in 24 squares. We have used the Sanskrit description he has given as the name of the game. Chathurvimshathi Koshtaka simply means 24 boxes or squares.

This is a battlefield game where two players with eight coins each battle it out to gain control of enemy territory.

Easy to carry along and convenient to play anywhere. Priced reasonably, it makes great return gifts for parties or other occasions.

Age : 7+

Also known as: A Cup and Coin Game, Vamanaguntalu, Mancala, Olinda Kaluja, Aliguli Mane, Adu-guni Mane, Chenne Mane, Saat Kooti, Kutki-Boia

Played on a wooden board with 14 cups in it, this is a game of distribution and counting. Variations of the game appeal to different ages and make it challenging and exciting.

While Pallanguzhis were traditionally made of wood, our current need is to conserve forests and trees.

The new Pallanguzhi from Kreeda is made from MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard). This is a type of hardboard, which is made from wood fibres glued under heat and pressure. It can be made from almost any scrap wood that is normally of limited value.

So when you buy an environment friendly Pallanguzhi from Kreeda, you are doing your bit toward conserving the environment.

Age : 5+