Chauka Bara is a traditional Indian board game. The game has many different names depending on the region of India it is played, and although the rules remain basically the same, there can be slight variations. It is a basic “race game”, where players try to move all their tokens to the inner most square. It is both a game of chance and strategy. Although there can be elaborate game boards, the basic 5 x 5 grid can be drawn on just about anything and various items can be used as tokens. The game can be played by 2 – 4 players.

Chauka Bara Game Pieces:

• 4 sets of 4 tokens (4 for each player) – buttons, beans, etc can also be used
• 4 cowrie shells – 4 pennies can be substituted
• game board

Chauka Bara Goal:

To be the first player to get all 4 tokens to the inner most square.

Cowrie Shell Points:

• 1 mouth up – move 1 square
• 2 mouths up – move 2 squares
• 3 mouths up – move 3 squares
• 4 mouths ups (chauka) – move 4 squares and get extra turn
• no mouths up (bara) – move 8 squares and get extra turn

Chauka Bara Game Play:

Each player picks one of the home squares marker with an X on the outer ring for their starting point. Their tokens are kept off the outer ring until their first roll.

Players take turns throwing the cowrie shells and moving 1 token according to the number indicated by the shells. (See diagram of shells.) VARIATION: To get on the board for the first time, a player must roll a chauka (4 mouths) or a bara (0 mouths). This only needs to be done once and other tokens can be brought unto the board without a chauka or bara.

The movement of tokens is counter-clockwise in outer squares and clockwise in inner squares. (See diagram.)

If a player’s token lands on an opponent’s token, then the opponent’s token is attacked and their token is returned to their starting position. The player that landed on the token gets another turn. They can chose to move the same token or a different one.

The home squares, the ones with Xs, are safe squares and no tokens can be attacked there.

When a player’s token reaches the square to the left of its home square, it moves up into the inner squares and continues in a clockwise direction*. When a token goes all the way around the inner squares, it then moves into the center square. That token is now safe and remains waiting for a player to get all 4 tokens into the center. (See diagram.)

*It is important to note that before any player can move a token into the inner circle, they must have attacked at least one opponent’s token. If they have attacked an opponent’s token, their piece can continue. If they haven’t, their token cannot enter the inner circle, and they must move another token or forfeit their turn until they attack an opponent. As soon as a player attacks once, that token and all of their other tokens can move into the inner circle. VARIATION: If a player has not attacked an opponent by the time they reach the square to the left of their home, they may continue moving that token around the outer squares until they do.

The first person to get all their tokens into the inner most square wins.