Spinning top or Lattu is one of India’s most popular traditional sports.
Children often play lattu for enjoyment and excitement, both indoors and outdoors.
Lattu has a long history anchored in ancient India. But now, it is concentrated mostly among the lower section of society. In this blog we will discuss on how to play lattu.
What is Lattu?
Lattu is a spherical-shaped wooden object with a wide and round top and an iron nail at the bottom. A rope is tied to the iron nail. When spun, the lattu spins on this nail on the ground.
The History of the Spinning Top or Lattu:
The spinning top has existed for thousands of years. As many traditional games, such as marbles, the earliest tops are made from clay and were discovered in the Middle East as early as 3500 BC.
It is likely that children would have been spinning small rocks long before as natural objects such as stone, wooden blocks were commonly used for playing in that time period.
Later, wooden spinning tops emerged around 2000 BC, and early spinning tops made from bones have been found in Europe.
Those spinning tops were much simpler than many tops found in old fashioned toy shops today, and it did spin with a twist of the fingers.
Players will be surprised to know that a wooden top can balance itself on the point of a nail. It is because of what is known as the “Gyroscopic Effect”, which combines the universal laws of inertia (& momentum), friction and gravity, and the transference of potential to kinetic energy.
Spinning tops have been used throughout history for many purposes. Children have used them for centuries as toys and pastimes.
They have also been used in prophecy, gambling and as gifts to honour the Gods, or in some cultures, as items to take into the afterlife.
Today, spinning tops provide play and distraction. They are also used in tournaments and championships, as well as in skill and role-playing games.
The popularity of spinning top
This game is more popular among boys and comes back with safer components and rules. In India, the spinning top is also known as Bambaram or Lattu. In Andhra Pradesh, the spinning top is also known as Bongaralu Aata.
It is also concentrated among Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Tripura and Mizoram children.
Rules of spinning top or Lattu
Spinning top or lattu is very simple to play. In this game, all the players go for the ‘Goes’ which is the ‘toss’ for the game. The toss is decided by spinning the top, and whoever picks it up at first is the winner.
The ‘Goes’ process works like this: When the count reaches 1, 2, 3, all players should wrap their ropes around their lattus, then unwind them on the ground to make them spin, and quickly pick them up with the rope.
The main skill in Lattus is using a short rope to keep the Lattus spinning on the ground, allowing the player to catch it back with the rope.
The top that didn’t finish the toss is placed in the centre of a circle. The players who completed the toss will try to spin their tops over the ones in the circle, aiming to break them.
In Karnataka slang, this process is called “Gunna.” Each time, the spinning tops must be picked up successfully to keep playing.
Components of spinning top
The spinning top is played with the help of a few components And they are
- Wooden top
- Pointed nails for getting the centre
- The string to get the starting spin.
Each time, the spinning tops must be picked up successfully to continue the game.Lattu, or spinning top, is a traditional game in India and Pakistan.
It used to be liked and played by every kid, but now it is losing its importance due to other interests taking priority, such as cricket, football etc . This game used to be popular with kids.
It is still played in the inner colonies of the old area of Udaipur. Lattu is a part of life for children in Indian villages.
The other names for this game :
1) Bambaram in Karnataka / Tamil
2) Lattu in Urdu
3) Top in English
4) Bongaralu Aata in Andhra Pradesh
How to play Lattu?
Top is a very simple game with very simple rules to follow.
Step 1:The Goes
All the players have to go for the ‘toss’, which is known as ‘Goes’ at the same time. The ‘Goes’ process is, after counting 1, 2, and 3, all the players should wind their tops with their ropes.
Step 2: The Unwind
Then, unwind it by releasing it from the rope, throwing it on the ground to rotate and picking it up with the rope as quickly as possible. It depends on managing the shortest rope length, which helps yourotate it andch it back with the rope.
The situation when you lose:
a) If the top fails to rotate on its nail on the ground – it is called ‘Mattai’, which means you lose the toss.
b) If you fail to catch the top through the rope, you lose the toss.
c) The last person to finish the ‘Goes’ also loses.
d) The player who loses the toss will keep his top in the circle drawn on the ground. The rest of the players will have to attack on the top, spinning in the circle’s centre.
e) The players who win the toss successfully will try to spin their tops over the top in the circle trying to break them OR trying to get it out of the circle.
The Second Way to Play Lattu:
A group of players having their tops will try to spin their tops one by one. One player in the group will keep track of all the players’ time scores. Whoever manages to spin the top longer will win the match.
Aakkar
a) If you land your top’s nail on top of the top inside the circle, it will leave a mark called ‘Aakkar’.
b) The top of the best player will have a minimum number of Aakkar as it is even a matter of prestige.
c) To avoid the top getting too many Aakkars, the players always keep a spare top, ‘Pondatti Top'(The wife) The players use ‘Purushan Top’ (The husband) to give Aakkar to others’ top and use Pondatti Top to receive Aakars from others.
d) Players always take good care of Purushan Top.
e) They will pick the nails from the blacksmith’s shop and sit with him to see if he inserted the nail in the top without any cracks.
Conclusion
Spinning top (lattu) is a traditional game played by children and is believed to be one of the oldest toy with history confirming of its appearance across different cultures.
It has two ways to play. Lattu provided us with so many sweet childhood memories. But nowadays, it has lost popularity due to the attractive modern toys on the market.
However, this traditional game reminds us of our rich culture and heritage.
