Dhopkhel is also known as Dhop Khel and Dhoop Khel. It is a tradition indigenous ball game played in Assam, India. Traditionally, the game was played to observe the spring and New Year festival of Bihu and thus is a seasonal game. It was also played once as a spectator sport for royal patronage of the Ahoms. It is among the unusual and lesser-known sports of the state.
How to play
Dhop that is a ball, is thrown by the player in the air with intention to throw it in the opponent’s court and if in case the ball does not cross one’s court and falls there only, then the players have to throw the ball again. While the opponent team has to catch the ball and again the player of other team has to throw the ball if the opponent fails to catch it but if the player catches the ball then he/she has to throw it towards a player who stands at the opposite end of the court and the player is called Katoni. If the player, who is Katoni, fails to catch the ball then the team loses the chance of throw and the other team gets the opportunity to throw the ball.
The game is not as simple as it sounds and is filled with complications with its complicated structure- if the Katoni is hit below the waist then it is considered a kota and thus the katoni loses his status of ghai which was a name initially used for all players and becomes a bondha or hoia. The Bondha has a tough task to perform which is that he/she has to go to opponent’s team with an intention to avoid the opponent team’s players to catch the ball & catch the ball himself and reaches in his court without any physical contact between the opponent team’s player and the ball, this strategy is called aulia. Thus, if he succeeds in doing so then the player again becomes a ghai and such move is called hora.
Also, the player has to make sure that he/she does not go out of the field while making such an attempt. When 10 ghais of a team, turns into hoia or bondha then the last ghai becomes a ghai katoni, and if kota is done to him then then it is called as piriutha and it signifies victory for the side. The team which has more number of ghais, is declared the winner and in case there are equal numbers of ghais then the game is drawn.
About the game
There are two teams of eleven members. The field measures 125 m x 80 m and there is a central point. Two lines are drawn at a distance of 125 ft on each side of the point at the center. At the four points where the kai meets 125 m lines, 4 flags are planted in the four corners known as chukor nishan. In each half of the field, there is one point each at a distance of 13’6” from the center and the circles which surround them are known as gher. The game is not restricted to any specific gender and thus is played by both men and women. A rubber ball is used in the game which is called as Dhop thus the game is called Dhop Khel. Like all other games, this game also requires skills and the player needs to be physically fit, have good speed, high stamina, and acrobatic skills. The game is sometimes also seen similar to Kabbadi.
Present Day Situation
A game which was once played for royal patronage as well is now no longer played and many efforts are being done in order to revive it. Naoren Mohen, the founder of modified Northeast India have identified some indigenous sports, Dhopkhel is one of them and is trying to gloom them among the youth. More such efforts should be made such as by spreading knowledge about the sports and providing proper training and opportunities to youth, we can keep alive the essence and fun of this sports.
