Gupta Gambit: The Incredible Story of Chess and Ludo

  

The Gupta kings ascended the throne to India in the 4th Century CE. They swiftly manoeuvred their way through the several principalities sprinkled throughout North India and cemented their place as the Maharajadhiraj or “The king of the kings.” They established a reign of peace that brought about significant innovation and discoveries in science, mathematics, art, and architecture. Scholars like Kalidasa, Varamihira, Shankuntala, Aryabhatta, Sushruta, and Vatsyayana flourished in the Gupta Courts. Hence, the period between the 4th and 6th centuries CE is known as the Golden Age of India. 

The origins of Chess can be traced back to this Golden era. It began as Chaturanga, which translates to “four limbs”, corresponding to the four parts of the Gupta army –the Infantry, War elephants, Chariots, and Cavalry. Chaturanga crossed the Indus into Iran as Chatranj, which climbed its way over the Zagros into Arabia and came to be known as Shatranj. Ancient chess travelled east along the Silk Route to the extremities of East Asia and eventually found its way to Europe. 

A Chaturanga board
Source: Front Porch Classics

Chess saw seen a rise in variants across the globe
Source: Chess Variants

The etymology of Chess terms is especially fascinating. My favourite example to quote is the origin of “Checkmate”, which occurs when a King is cornered and has no legal moves left. This term has its roots in the Persian word Shahmat which translates to “The King is helpless.” The names of the chess pieces evolved as well, and every major hub along the Silk Route developed a unique style of chess with new pieces. For instance, Tamerlane chess which is popular in Central Asia has a piece called Zurafa, meaning giraffe!

A checkmating move in the game
Source: Chessentials

The layout of the Tamerlane game
Source: Chess.com

The modern form of chess became prominent in the 19th century when the first Chess championship was conducted in 1851 in London.

The first chess championship in London, in 1851
Source: The Article

In today's time, Chess has become a very popular Olympic sport around the globe. The advent of computers gave it a new life,  as it made the game more accessible. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Chess streaming emerged as a promising E-sports category. 

Chess has seen a stark rise in participation through online games
Source: Google Play Apps

Among the myriad intellectual treasures attributed to the Golden Gupta era, Ludo is arguably the most fun. The earliest evidence of the game can be found on a wall in the Ellora caves in Maharashtra. The game of Ludo is one of the main plot points in the Mahabharat. Earlier forms of Ludo evolved in India in the 6th century CE, then it was called Chaupar, Chausar, or Pacheesi. Pacheesi remains a favourite pastime in rural India. 

Hindu gods Shiva and Parvati playing chaupad in cave 29, Ellora caves
Source: The British Library

Similar to Chess, hubs along the Silk Route embraced Ludo and gave it a distinctive touch.  Alfred Collier, an Englishman patented the modern version of Ludo in 1896 by simply adding a dice cup. Since then, Ludo has gained massive popularity, as a fun family board game. The colourful board game became one of the most played video games in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. It allowed friends and family to connect with each other entertainingly, despite being miles apart. 

The patent of Royal Ludo by Alfred Collier
Source: gamesboard.org

Tracing the incredible journeys of these games, beginning in 4th century India, branching out along the Silk Route to far East and farther West is an exhilarating exercise in its own right. These pastimes have managed to crawl into our phones and deliver hours of fun, and for that, we have the Golden Era to thank.

By Siddhant Desai