PLAY AND INDIGENOUS GAMES OF CHILDREN: A Cultural Heritage of Western Odisha, India

Abstract

The study of play through time and across cultures has consistently demonstrated that, it is a multi-faceted phenomenon being ubiquitous among diverse human societies. The present paper makes an humble endeavour to intricate how different types of traditional games of rural children is being enriched with cultural heritage of a society and act as a source of transmission of knowledge. It also makes a critical examination of the changing scenario of children’s games in contemporary society. The study has been conducted among the school going children in the rural pockets of Western Odisha where local populace is getting dodged and western forms of entertainment is gaining popularity.