Khuru still popular

6 March 2010

Archery, the national game of Bhutan, is facing stiff competition from khuru, which is shining in its own realm among the Bhutanese in the country today. The game is fast gaining popularity among people if the number of tournaments organised are anything to go by.

Khuru is gaining popularity especially because of the game’s simplicity. “Unlike archery, it is cheaper to play khuru, and we can play without going through much hassles,” said Karma, who gets together with his friends on weekends and national holidays to play khuru.

Open fields in Jungshina, Taba and other places in Thimphu can be seen filled with khuru enthusiasts, especially on losars and other national occasions. “We play on bets but at the end of the day, all that matters is the pleasure of playing the game,” said Karma.

A pair of khuru costs between Nu 200 and Nu 250 depending on the material they are made from. Shopkeepers say there is always a huge demand for it.

Khuru has also been recently included in inter-school sport tournaments to promote the traditional game among youth. “It won’t be long before people see us celebrating as inter-school champions of khuru,” said Sangay, a student of Motithang Higher Secondary School in Thimphu, who is eagerly waiting for the tournament to get underway.

Khuru is played in teams of about 10 players but it can be played with any number of players. The rules of khuru are similar to that of archery, but khuru range is only about 20 metres long.

The target is a small wooden block.

Players gather around the target to cheer up and encourage their team mates to hit the target. They do so by shouting and dancing.

The real fun starts when a player hits the target. All members of the team breaks into a chorus of cheerful songs followed by rounds of dances.

Drinks are an integral part of many khuru matches.

“Watching the younger generation play khuru reminds me of my good old days playing khuru in paddy fields when we went to herd cattle,” said Ap Dorji, 74. He said khuru was popular in the olden days and he is happy that it still is.

By Tshering Penjoree & Karma Pelden

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