Kho Kho Game: Rules, Skills, History & How to Play Kho Kho?

Introduction of Kho Kho

Kho Kho is a tag game of India. Its origins are as old as Mahabharata, with strategies and tactics likely derived from Mahabharata itself. On the 13th day of the war, the Kaurava Guru Dronacharya planned the unique tactics Chakraviyu a special military defensive strategy breached by the expert warrior Abhimanyu. He died as he had to fight alone against 7 other warriors and he received heavy casualties. His style of fighting reflects the concept of ring play – a defensive tactic in Kho Kho.

Kho Kho fosters many desirable traits such as sportsmanship, teamwork, loyalty, competitiveness, and self-esteem as well as speed, agility, strategy and quick thinking. This game in itself is a personal development tool for the athlete that takes up the challenge.

First ever Kho Kho competition was held in the year 1914. In 1959 first National Kho Kho Championship was held under Kho Kho Federation of India was set up in the year 1955.

The Asian Kho Kho Federation was set up in the year 1987 where 3rd SAF Game was held in Calcutta, India. Countries which joined Asian Kho Kho Federation was India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. In 1996 first AKKF championship happened in Kolkata, India. Second Asian Championship was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Countries which participated this championship were India, Pakistan, Srilanka, Japan, Nepal, and Thailand.

Rules of Kho Kho

Two teams face each other in this game (Team A and Team B) and there are some kho kho rules given below:

The game starts with toss between two team captain. The winning captain decides who will chase Team A or Team B. Both the team consists of 12 players. If Team A won the toss and decides to chase. 9 players from team A enters the playground. All 9 players sit/kneel in the middle of the court facing opposite direction in a straight row. A match consists of two innings of running and chasing turns of 9 minutes.

From Team B, three players can enter the kho kho ground as the runner. All 9 players of the team sit in a row with both the end having a pole. The 3 runners can go between two players of Team A who are sitting in a zigzag alignment. The chaser team member is not to go through their sitting team members failing to it is a penalty. He can only turn back and chase after he touches the pole at either end of the line. These are basic kho kho rules to follow on the ground.

Kho Kho Playground Dimensions and Equipments

The required equipment in kho kho game is two watches, whistle (every time a team scores), measuring tape, lime powder and stationary to write results.

Kho Kho playground is 29 meters long and 16 meters wide in dimension. At each end of the longer side of the rectangle is two rectangles measuring 16 meters in length and 2.75 meters wide. Wooden pillar of 120 cm high at the inner center of the line of this rectangle as shown in the figure below. The circumference of the wooden pillar is between 30 to 40 cm. There is one straight line on either side of the pillar. There are 8 pairs of parallel lines between these two wooden pillar posts. Each pair of the line is 30 cm away from each other and 2.30 meters away from next pair of line. This creates 8 boxes of 30 cm in length and 30 cm width.

Terms in Kho Kho

Pole: A specially made wooden cylindrical construction, erected firmly at both sides of playfield.

Chaser: The sitting team who tries to catch the opponent team member who is running. Chaser sit-in square over cross lines with an alternative back.

Runner: The player of opposition who saves himself from being catch by the chaser.

Central lane: Two parallel lines from one pole to other.

Cross lane: The parallel lanes cutting central line at the middle of playing area.

Kho: The word Kho is actually a pass given by one chaser to another.

Early getup: When the sitting chaser gets up before getting a Kho.

Kho Kho Skills

Basic Skills required is running and chasing. Some of the basic kho kho skills are :

The judgment of direction: How fast and attentive you are to know which direction you have to run. Next is
Getting up from Square: Should be very responsive to your teammates.

Running Skills: You should be fast ring play, a single chain running, zig-zag running, straight running.
Team coordination: very fast grasper of Kho given by team members and realizing if the signal was early Kho, late Kho, fake Kho, hurry Kho or it’s a simple Kho.

Kho Kho Tournament

There are many tournaments played in India namely, National Championships, National Women Championship, Junior National, Sub Junior National Championship, All India Inter University Championship, School Championship, Mini School Championship, Primary Mini School Championship and Federation Cup. As per some media results, after the success of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) in India, Kho Kho, another traditional sport from our country is set to get a league of its own this year.

Kho Kho Awards

There are special awards given for the players who show prolific performance in the game. Janaki Award is given to a girl (Under 18) for her stellar show in the game. Veer Abhimanyu Award is similar to Janaki Award but it’s awarded to a boy who comes under age of 18. The Karnataka government once recognised Ekalavya Award for the game. In 2008, Adarsha CP won this award.

Indian Game Kho Kho Information

Kho Kho ranks as one of the most popular traditional sports in India. The origin of Kho Kho is difficult to trace, but many historians believe, that it is a modified form of 'Run Chase', which in its simplest form involves chasing and touching a person. With its origins in Maharashtra, Kho Kho in ancient times, was played on 'raths' or chariots, and was known as Rathera.

Like all Indian games, it is simple, inexpensive and enjoyable. It does, however, demand physical fitness, strength, speed and stamina, and a certain amount of ability. Dodging, feinting and bursts of controlled speed make this game quite thrilling. To catch by pursuit - to chase, rather than just run - is the capstone of Kho Kho. The game develops qualities such as obedience, discipline, sportsmanship, and loyalty between team members.

The rules of the game were framed in the beginning of the 20th century. At Gymkhana Poona, a Committee was formed in 1914, to frame its rules. The first ever rules on Kho Kho were published from Gymkhana Baroda, in 1924. In 1959-60, the first national Kho Kho championship was organised in Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh). The Government has initiated the following awards for the game: Arjuna Award, Eklavya Award for men, Rani Laxmi Bai award for women, Veer Abhimanyu award for boys under 18, and Janaki award for girls under 16.

 

Also Read: Today Fantasy Kabaddi Team

How is Kho Kho game played?

• Each team consists of twelve players, but only nine players take the field for a contest.
• A match consists of two innings. An innings consists of chasing and running turns of 7 minutes each.
• Eight members of the chasing team sit in their eight squares on the central lane, alternately facing the opposite direction, while the ninth member is an active chaser, and stands at either of the posts, ready to begin the pursuit.
• Members of the chasing team have to put their opponent out, touching them with their palms, but without committing a foul.
• All the action in Kho Kho is provided by the defenders, who try to play out the 7 minutes time, and the chasers who try to dismiss them.
• A defender can be dismissed in three ways:
• If he is touched by an active chaser with his palm without committing a foul,
• If he goes out of the limits on his own.
• If he enters the limit late.
• Defenders enter the limit, in batches of three.
• After the third and last defender of batch is out, the next batch must enter the limits, before a 'kho' is given by the successful active chaser.
• Defenders have full freedom of movement on both sides of the central lane, but the active chaser cannot change the direction to which he is committed. He cannot cross the central lane. An active chaser can change position with a seated chaser, by touching him from behind by palm, and uttering the word 'kho' loudly, and simultaneously, chase or attack is build up through a series of 'khos' as the chase continues with a relay of chasers.
• At the end of the innings there is an interval of 5 minutes and an interval of 2 minutes, in between the turns.
  Each side alternates between chasing and defense.
• Kho Kho can be played by men, women, and children of all ages.
• The game requires a very small piece of evenly surfaced ground, rectangular in shape, and 27m by 15m. The only equipment required is the two poles.
• The game lasts no more than 37 minutes.