We see children playing many games these days, but there is one notable absence — the game of marbles. Back then, it was the first game you grew up with. Cricket as a serious pursuit came later. What set marbles apart from other games was its simplicity. All you needed was a blue sky, a patch of green and a pocketful of marbles. Somewhere, in the past few decades, we lost this game.
A game of marbles sharpened a variety of basic skills. Like billiards and carom, it took a combination of concentration and finger-skill to master it. The champion marble player could strike a tiny marble into the far distance with unerring accuracy. The rest of us were not so dexterous and stumbled to strike a target even a few inches away!
Regardless of your proficiency in the game, you maintained a marble collection. A marble was a collector’s delight, exquisitely crafted, shiny and glassy. When viewed against the sun, a kaleidoscope of colours filled its interior! Like a crystal ball, the more you gazed, more secrets it revealed! A second variety of marbles was the opposite. These were stone-like in a grey monotone. When you dug your hands into a boxful of marbles, its tinkling sound lit up a smile! Hawkers set up shop outside the school gate and enticed students with an attractive marble display.
The box of marbles came handy when the class got too monotonous. No one knew who was the bigger prankster — the boys or the marbles! From time to time, the box jumped out of the school bag and came crashing to the floor!
Marbles scattered and bounced in all directions! Right under the glare of the irate teacher, there was a complete riot! Students ran helter-skelter in pursuit of the marbles which were equally mischievous and evaded attempts to catch them! It was just the distraction you needed to liven up the day.
Marbles was not just a game. It was a means to bonding between friends, much like Golf for today’s elite. When you spoke about a particular celebrity as though you knew him very well, someone cut you with this oft-quoted phrase, “Did you play marbles with him?” Such was the camaraderie shared between marbles pals!
Back then, children stayed outside and played marbles the entire day. Ironically now, children are at home the whole day, busy with virtual games and gadgets!
shankar.ccpp@gmail.com
