Chungi () is a traditional game played by children in Nepal and northeastern India. The setup of the game is similar to hacky sack. It is played with a ball made by tying a group of

rubber bands A rubber band (also known as an elastic, gum band or lacky band) is a loop of rubber, usually ring or oval shaped, and commonly used to hold multiple objects together. The rubber band was patented in England on March 17, 1845, by Stephen Perry ...

in the middle.

Gameplay

The rules of the game vary by region. The traditional way to play chungi is by counting the number of times the ball can be hit using feet without dropping to the ground. The use of both feet is allowed, but using any other body part is not. Generally, a target count is decided for the game finish. At the end of the count, a back kick is done to the ball to hit it as far as possible. The ball should be far enough from the previously decided distance, this being measured by the feet of the player. If the player cannot hit the ball, another player gets a chance to continue. Another type of game that can be played is passing the ball to other players by foot, without letting it drop to the ground.

Impact

Chungi is considered one of the reasons for the decrease in popularity of

Dandi Biyo Dandi biyo (, ) is a game played in Nepal which was considered the ''de facto'' national game until 23 May 2017, when volleyball was declared as the national sport. Dandi biyo is played with a stick (''dandi'') about long and a wooden pin (''bi ...

, another traditional Nepalese game. The game has also been used to teach children mathematics and other concepts in school.

References

{{Reflist Sport in Nepal Cultural history of Nepal