It’s a simple game. You roll a dice and race competitors to the end of the board. If you land on a snake, you slide back down to a lower square on the board. That’s snakes and ladders in a nutshell. Pretty straightforward right?
But a deeper story — 1 about good and evil — resides in the board game. Believed to have roots in ancient India, the snakes in the game represent sin while the ladders symbolise good deeds and steps a person takes to reach enlightenment.
The game of snakes and ladders, also known as parama pada sopanam in Tamil, is one of the traditional Indian games in our collection which are available for loan.
This is the full list:
- Parama Pada Sopanam (Snakes & Ladders)
- Pallanguzhi
- Bambaram
- Kattam Vilayattu
- Aadu Puli Aatam
- Chess
You can also choose to book accompanying roadshow banners to share stories about the origins of these games as well as information about their gameplay.
Download this booking form and get playing!
Booking FormSingapore’s South Asian communities are diverse and trace their roots to different parts of the subcontinent.
Yet, their shared identity is shaped by a common migrant history and the collective experience of establishing their roots in Singapore through cultural practices unique to the various Indian communities.
This exhibition outlines the various festivals celebrated in a calendar year, and explores the transfer, practice and re-interpretation of cultural practices by our migrant communities.
Booking FormYou might have encountered the hypnotic beats of traditional carnatic music at 1 of our community showcases and might be familiar with instruments like the tabla (pair of drums) and sitar (plucked string instrument).
We hope to share more about such traditions with you! This roadshow explores the music, crafts, games, food and trade of our diverse Indian communities.
Booking FormThis travelling exhibition details how traditional Indian games such as parama pada sopanam (snakes and ladders), pallanguzhi (a type of mancala game), and bambaram (a top game), have been handed down from 1 generation to another, serving a myriad of functions.
Some games are used for entertainment and to encourage social interaction among children while others test and improve the player’s strategic thinking, psychomotor, and/or arithmetic skills.
Booking Form