Pachisi

Pachisi is a traditional Indian board game that has played a prominent role in Indian culture and is often described as the royal game. The name Pachisi is derived from a word meaning twenty-five in some Indian languages, reflecting historical counting of the spaces on the board. The game is typically played on a large cross-shaped board, which can be made of cloth, wood, or printed material, and features a central area surrounded by routes that extend toward each arm.

The game is usually played by four players, each controlling four pieces. The board’s cross-shaped track forms a path that leads to a central home area. Movement is determined by throwing cowrie shells or, in modern editions, by dice or spinners. The number or pattern revealed by the throw dictates how many spaces a piece may advance, with certain throws allowing pieces to enter the track from their starting area. If a player lands on a space occupied by an opponent, that opponent’s piece is captured and sent back to its starting area, after which it must re-enter the track according to the rules.

The objective is to move all four pieces from their starting areas around the board and into the central home space. Rules vary by region and edition, especially regarding entry to the board, safe spaces, and finishing exactness. Pachisi has many regional variants, and its gameplay has influenced later Western games.

Pachisi exists in numerous versions, ranging from traditional cloth-board plays to modern commercial games. It remains a culturally significant and widely recognized precursor to contemporary cross-and-circle family games, such as Ludo and Parcheesi.