चौकाबारा · Chaukabaara — Ancient Board of Bhārat Game

Prepare the Court

Four cowrie shells decide your fate upon the sacred cross

Mode

Board

5-House Board 5×5 square · 4 pieces each
Classic Chowka Bara

7-House Board 7×7 square · 6 pieces each
Grander & longer journey

Players

House Rules

All pieces start on the board Every pawn begins stacked on its own home square — nothing to enter. A captured pawn returns to its home square and must travel again.

Cast the cowrie shells

The Cowries

Chronicle

Throw 4 cowrie shells. Mouths-up count 1, 2, 3; all mouths = Chamma (4); all humps = Ashta (8).
Chamma & Ashta grant a bonus throw. Three in a row — the whole turn is forfeited!
Every pawn starts already on the board, stacked on its own home square — nothing to enter.
Pieces travel anti-clockwise around the outer ring, then clockwise through the inner squares to the centre.
Move only into the inner squares after you have captured at least one opponent piece.
Landing exactly on a lone opponent piece captures it — it returns to its home square (extra throw!). Landing on an ✕ safe square protects you.
Two of your pieces on one square form a double: it blocks each opponent once, cannot be captured by a single piece, and may be moved together.
The centre must be reached by exact count. First to bring all pieces home wins.

Prepare the Court

Victory!