ఆడండి అష్టాచమ్మ...

Ashtachamma.. On hearing this word, the name of a Telugu film some of us recall the bubbly heroine Swathi, a few of us remember the lovely hero Nani, the rest of us may think about the second heroine Bhargavi and the tragic end of her colourful life.
The film was named after the famous game in South India- Ashtachamma.
Here I am going to discuss the game, not the film.

This is an indoor game that can be played by 2-4 players. It is a family game which involves lot of entertainment. All the four members of the family can play this game and have lots of fun. A pattern which looks something like the picture is drawn on the floor using some chalk. A dice can be used but 4 shells are preferred. When the shells are cast, if all of them show their bellies, it is called Chamma (or four), if they fall on their belly, it is called Ashta (or Eight). When either Ashta or Chamma occurs, there is another chance to cast the shells. If either Ashta or Chamma occurs thrice in a row, the cast is not considered.
Now let us consider how the game is played. Each participant has to choose 4 similar things each to play the game (Let us say, some shirt buttons). There should be some difference in the things chosen by different participants. (One can keep some standard pieces, 4 pieces for each colour, just as we have in Ludo). A piece can start playing, once a "one" is cast by the participant. It moves in anti-clockwise direction from the starting square. Two pieces cannot occupy the same square. This rule is applicable only for those squares which are not coloured. When a player moves his piece to the square where the opponents piece is lying, the opponents piece is sent to its starting place(In some places, this has a different version--the piece is claimed and it is reclaimed by casting an 8 or 4 again). That piece has to start its game again. The players continues to play in the first level itself till they claim the opponents' piece atleast once. Once the task is achieved, the game continues in next level of squares i.e., level two. One who reaches the third level first i.e., the middle-most square, is the winner!!

Hammayyah, I completed the description.. :)
So, this is the game- Ashtachamma, a cool summer game.. :)