Wish I'd seen that! There's a faintly mocking article about it here http://www.brainevent.com/be/Sports/planet_sports/20010103P
Amusingly, all the pages about the sport on Indian websites seems to have plagiarized the same article.
While I was reading about it, I had a picture in my head of the game being played in Sartar. Boys and young men compete in the game to test their Inner Wind, improve their running speed and reflexes, and emulate the warriors. Called the Brothers' Battle, it is based on many myths of the Thunder Brothers competing against one another in their eternal rivalries. Each team consists of seven members, the burliest four of whom are designated "fyrdsmen." A raider must chant the name of the Thunder Brother he represents on the team continuously, going back to his side when he is out of breath. While on the opposing side, he tries to "tag" members of the opposing team with his hands; targets of the attack are allowed to evade, but only the "fyrdsmen" may engage the "raider," and only one may engage him at a time.
The game can be played under varying sets of rules. Under "Orlanth's Rules" whenever any player is tagged, he stays on the field and one point is awarded to the team that tagged him. This form of game represents the state of affairs in the Godtime, when Death was unknown. Under the stricter "Vingkot's Rules," a player who is tagged must go "out" and leave the field. Each player can be revived by putting out a player on the opposing team. One player is "revived" for each player of the opposing team who goes out, i.e. one out, one in. Finally, under Heort's Rules, there is no revival. When a player is tagged, he goes out and does not return to the game. When all the players on one side are out, the game ends.
Powered by hypermail