Chess - An Ethnic Game of India

Indians are exceedingly adept at launching events. It will be inventive, groundbreaking and sometimes thought provoking. I don’t know in which category this present event is going to fit in.

Kapil Dev is a trend setter, of course in cricket. He is well-known for his aggressive yet positive captaincy. He is destructive both with the bat as well ball. In fact, he is the rationale behind present day cricketers like Ponting, McCullum, AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli, etc. But really what is he trying to introduce here in this series of advertisements.

He was talking about our captain cool, so it is about effective administration, thinking, handling pressure and leadership. He mentioned Sania Mirza, so it is about women power and women empowerment. He mentioned Yuvraj Singh, so it is about riposte (Back from the dead, just like James Bond in the movie Skyfall). He even mentioned the infamous Kapil Sharma, so it is about entertainment.

The prediction will soon unfurl, but for today, let’s just break our head to decipher this Cryptex.  It might be an event, product promotion, or may even be an online game show. Here are our clues to get closer; entertaining, engaging, idealistic, puzzling, retorting and as well encouraging women power. And it should not just involve the youngsters just like other games, as he stated in one clipping that stars never retire.

Obviously, it is not about cricket. We are already jammed with too-much cricket. And with the likes of his previously launched Indian Cricket League, I suppose he won’t accept any further danger.

Joining all dots, I guess it is about the CHESS. There is no particular league with respect to chess and it as well complies with our foreseen clues. As you know, Indians are in the stage of Renaissance. Earlier it was cricket and cricket alone, but now we give importance to our ethnic games like Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and Hockey as well.

Chess is again our ethnic game; it was originated in India 1500 years ago. As per the archaeological studies, Chess has been originated during the Gupta Empire, where it was named as Chathuranga. From India, the game spread to Persia. When the Arabs conquered Persia, chess was taken up by the Muslim world and afterwards spread to Southern Europe. Through the form of its outing, the game has been tweaked further to accommodate into their class. But it was in Europe during the 15^th century, the ultimate form has been evolved; the Chess that we play today. 

Chathuranga indicates the four major divisions of military – infantry, cavalry, elephantry and chariotry. I guess you might have understood the rationale behind the pieces like pawns, knight, bishop and rook by now.

Sports develop almost everything on an individual. Be it in any game, it instills in him a kind of self-confidence, leadership quality, thinking ability, observation, planning and execution, endurance, agility, perseverance and willpower. No doubt, Chess does it all with ease.

Well, well, it’s time now. My Cryptex has been unlocked, but what about Kapil’s (original) version?

What do you think Ek Nayi League is going to be? Am I anywhere close?