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Tatler Asia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
8 historic board games that originated in Asia
2. Shogi (Japan, approximately 8th century) Above Shogi (Photo: Mahmoud Adel / Unsplash) If Western chess is war with honour, shogi is war with espionage, betrayal and reincarnation. Known as Japanese chess, shogi was played by samurai and is still a cultural mainstay, with televised tournaments and manga fame (see: March Comes in Like a Lion ). What makes shogi interesting is how captured pieces switch sides. Your opponent's bishop, for example, can become your assassin. Brutal, poetic and very Kill Bill . Where to play it now: Try shogi apps or dive into the real-deal woodboard version sold at Tokyo's Nakamura Jōki shop (established 1859). You can also stream a match and watch pros in kimonos face off like it's an intellectual WWE showdown. 3. Xiangqi (China, 12th to 13th century AD) Above Xiangqi (Photo: Vyacheslav Koval / Unsplash) Xiangqi is what happens when military strategy meets Taoist thinking. The gameboard mimics a battlefield, complete with a 'river' that divides the two armies and 'palaces' to protect the king (general). Cannons jump over pieces to attack, and elephants can't cross water. As far as board games go, it can be fast, fierce and is often played by shirtless uncles in the parks of Beijing, where he will obliterate you in around 40 moves. Where to play it now: Visit Hong Kong's Victoria Park or Taipei's chess squares. See more: Game on! Spice up your group outings with these fun board games 4. Makruk (Thailand, 12th to 14th century) Above Makruk (Photo: B20180 / Wikimedia Commons) Makruk is Thailand's elegant version of chess, and many argue it's even closer to the game's original Indian ancestor, chaturanga (which we'll discuss later). Here, pawns turn into queens, pieces have more limited range and endgames are more strategic than chaotic. It's like playing chess in a tuxedo—more refined, less brutal. Unlike many of these board games, which have gone to obscurity, Thai kids still learn makruk at school, and the game is often played at temples or during quiet family gatherings. It is less performative than Western chess, but just as savage underneath. Where to play it now: Look for local chess cafés in Bangkok or visit Some luxury hotels even offer makruk boards in their libraries. 5. Pachisi (India, 4th century CE) Above Pachisi (Photo: Jan Ranft / Unsplash) Pachisi, also known as the royal game of India, is over 1,000 years old and was reportedly played with live courtiers as pawns at Emperor Akbar's palace. The cross-shaped board symbolises karma and fate, and the game blends chance (cowrie shells were used instead of dice) with strategy. It later inspired Ludo, Sorry! and every friendship-ending move in Parcheesi. Think of it as the chic, ancient ancestor of modern party games, but with better outfits and more drama. Where to play it now: You'll still find hand-painted pachisi boards in Rajasthan's artisan markets. You can also download a digital version to play while waiting for your turmeric latte. 6. Hanafuda (Japan, 18th century) Above Hanafuda (Photo: Marcus Richert / Wikimedia Commons) When Western playing cards were banned in Japan, gamblers and rebels made their own. Enter hanafuda, or 'flower cards'. Each card represents a month with poetic floral illustrations (think cherry blossoms, irises, maple leaves). It's part memory game, part art appreciation. Where to play it now: You can still buy exquisite hanafuda decks in Kyoto (Nintendo, which started as a hanafuda card manufacturer, makes them) or download apps to play. Koi-Koi is its most famous variant. 7. Chaturanga (India, 6th century) Above Chaturanga (Photo: Chaturaji / Wikimedia Commons) Long before pawns dreamed of promotions and bishops cut across diagonals, there was chaturanga, the grandfather of board games. It's a game of military strategy from ancient India that would go on to become chess as the world knows it. Played on an eight-by-eight board and featuring four divisions of the Indian army (infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots), chaturanga mimicked battlefield tactics in turn-based form. It travelled westward to Persia (where it became shatranj), passed through the Islamic world and eventually reached medieval Europe, picking up queens, bishops and castles along the way. While modern chess has shed many of its Sanskrit roots, the soul of the game remains distinctly Asian. And in case you're wondering: yes, the term 'checkmate' is derived from the Persian 'shāh māt'—meaning 'the king is helpless'. Where to play it now: Modern recreations of chaturanga can be found in historical gaming museums or online platforms. For a cultural deep dive, some Indian museums and game cafés host traditional board game nights featuring ancient classics like chaturanga, pachisi and moksha patamu. Don't miss: Filipino-made card games to know: Manila 2076, Politricks, and more 8. Mahjong (China, mid-1800s) Above Mahjong (Photo: Jing Bo Wang / Unsplash) Some say mahjong is a game, others say it's a lifestyle. Born in the Qing Dynasty and codified in the 19th century, mahjong combines memory, strategy, luck and the kind of family feuds that only a four-player table can inspire. With its beautifully etched tiles and hypnotic clacking, mahjong isn't just played, it's performed. The game reflects Confucian ideals of harmony and balance, and its complexity has kept generations hooked across Asia and beyond. Mahjong travelled with Chinese diaspora communities in the early 20th century and was quickly embraced in the West, particularly among Jewish American women in the 1920s (a love affair that still thrives today). Today, it's both highbrow and homey: fashion houses like Valentino and Gucci have created mahjong-inspired accessories, and luxury game sets can run into the thousands. Where to play it now: Drop by Hong Kong or Shanghai teahouses or Taiwanese night markets where you'll find old masters and eager rookies locked in all-day tile battles. You can also check Chinatown communities worldwide. Whether it's NYC or Vancouver, mahjong parlours remain social hubs. Brands like Mahjong Line have also given the game a Gen-Z facelift with colourful redesigns and Instagram-friendly sets.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Padakkalam OTT Release Date: When and where to watch Suraj Venjaramoodu & Sharaf U Dheen's fantasy film online
Padakkalam OTT Release Date: Get ready to enter a world where reality bends, professors swap bodies, and ancient board games unleash chaos. Padakkalam, the latest Malayalam fantasy caper, is all set to make its digital debut on JioHotstar starting June 10, 2025. After a low-key theatrical run in early May, this surreal comedy-drama is finding a second life on streaming. When the chalkboard turns into a battleground At first glance, Padakkalam looks like your average campus drama: two professors, one chair, and a college full of students who'd rather gossip than attend lectures. But beneath that seemingly grounded setting lies a wild, almost cartoonish narrative twist: body-swapping sorcery. Ranjith and Shaji, both professors at a college that doesn't seem to have HR protocols, are vying for the head-of-department post. While students naturally side with the affable Ranjith, the job goes to Shaji. Things take a turn for the bizarre when Shaji, now HOD, starts behaving erratically like… unsettlingly strange. He's not the man they knew. Turns out, he quite literally isn't. Enter Jithin, a student who notices the sudden personality change. And through a bit of snooping, a few skipped lectures, and a stolen board game, he uncovers the truth: Ranjith has used black magic, courtesy of an ancient Pachisi set, to switch bodies with Shaji. As absurd as it sounds, the tone of the film embraces it with full conviction. Once Jithin and his gang of misfit friends get their hands on the mystical board game, they set in motion a series of mishaps that spiral out of control, turning their sleepy college into a chaotic playground for the supernatural. What follows is a frantic attempt to reverse the curse, put people back in their rightful bodies, and restore sanity before final exams and reputations go up in smoke. A cast that carries the crazy Suraj Venjaramoodu plays Ranjith with Sharaf U Dheen as the unfortunate Shaji. Niranjana Anoop plays a student caught between chaos and curiosity. The supporting roles, especially Sandeep Pradeep (from Falimy), Arun Ajikumar, and the Saaf Bros, provide comic relief that doesn't feel forced. Directed by Manu Swaraj and co-written by Swaraj and Nithin C Babu, Padakkalam leans hard into the absurd. This Rajesh Murugesan musical is cinematographed by Anu Moothedath and edited by Nidhin Raj Arol.
