Chaturaji

Indian Board Game

Chaturaji's Background

Chaturaji, like chess, represents a battle between two armies. Each of the game's pieces represents one of the Kings army's four divisions at the time. Chaturaji, the game's name, approximately translates to "four limbs" in Sanskrit, a reference to the game's four divisions: infantry, elephantry, cavalry, and chariots.

This four-handed Indian version, once assumed to be the first game of chess, is now thought to be a later development. It has, nevertheless, had a lengthy life, appearing in various forms from the eleventh to the twentieth centuries, with more recent variations being played without dice. It's getting a new lease on life owing to current global communications. Some call it Chaturanga, while others call it Chaturaji.