When we think about it, Ludo is unquestionably the game of India. It is a game that people have been playing for generations in our country. The Ludo game has been uniting people all over the world, providing them with some quality time spent together and extreme amounts of fun. The game has always been fascinating to play, not just for the entertainment it provides, but also for how it brings people together in the best way possible.
The game is so heavily integrated into our culture that one could go as far as to call Ludo the national game of India. It is a game full of nostalgia for friendship, family, childhood, etc., a game that has been present in the childhood of almost all Indians, but it is not all; the imprints of the Ludo game can be found scattered all over our history.
But how far does this nostalgia go? How long has the Ludo game been with us? Where did it come from? What is its origin? Who invented it?
Here, we’ll divulge the answers about the origins of Ludo.
Where did Ludo originate from?
From what has been known about Ludo, we can determine that the game originated in India and has always belonged to India. The exact origin of Ludo has not been documented or known but the oldest indication of the Ludo game can be found in the Ellora caves which portray multiple boards.
The most noticeable and well-known instance of the knowledge of the Ludo game can be found in the scriptures of the Indian Epic Mahabharata. The Ludo game at that time was known by the name of “Pachisi”, derived from the Indian word ‘pacis’ which means twenty-five, as twenty-five was the highest a throw could score.
The later instance of Ludo’s popularity and widespread reach can be found in the remains of the life-sized boards that can be seen in the old Mughal Empire palaces. The Ludo game, then known as Chaupar, a modernized version of Pachisi, was extremely famous among the Mughal Emperors. Emperor Akhbar, being the most noteworthy of these Emperors, was also said to have used real people on these boards to play a live game.
With the arrival of the British Empire, the Ludo game, Pachisi was adopted by the English and once again modernized and updated to a new and easy design that could be accessible and understood by even the common public, leading the game to be where it is today. In the 19th century, Alfred Collier patented this modernized English version of the board game under the name of Ludo and spread its knowledge and accessibility worldwide. But this Ludo board game is not just a game of history; it is a game that is still very popular in India.
As time has changed, so has the game and its rules, its face, and even its name but the core of it has always remained the same.
Fundament Rules of Ludo:
Here are a few fundamental rules of the Ludo game:
- A traditional game of Ludo can be played by 2 to 4 players.
- To free or open your pawns from the base and advance further on the board, you need to roll a 6 or 1 on the dice.
- By rolling a 6 or cutting an opponent’s pawns, you will receive an extra turn.
- Rolling 3 consecutive 6s leads to a null move and your chance would be skipped and passed over to the opponent’s turn.
- The opponent’s pawn can be cut and sent back to the base by landing on the same square as the opponent’s pawn.
- Having 2 or more of your pawns on the same square forms a block and grants you immunity from being eliminated by the opponent’s pawn.
- There are several safe zones present on the board that can provide your pawns protection from elimination.
- The game is won by the player that takes all of their 4 pawns home before the opponent.
Few Tips and Tricks to Win a Ludo game:
While Ludo is said to be a game of luck, it is not entirely true. The game does involve a certain degree of luck, but the outcome of the game is largely dependent on your effective gaming strategy and skills. Here are a few critical tips that can help you win a Ludo game effortlessly:
- Open all your pawns as soon as you can.
- Be confident in your moves.
- Quickly get your pawns to the safe spots to protect them from elimination.
- Keep all of your pawns moving altogether rather than going with one pawn at a time.
- Pick a strategy to play with and plan your moves smartly.
- Move the pawns near the starting point for riskier numbers.
- Tailor your opponent’s pawns and eliminate them as soon as possible.
The popularity of the Ludo game doesn’t just come from the nostalgia of childhood but also from the fact that the game while being easy also contains several elements of learning such as strategy planning, observational skills, patience, etc. The game requires you to have an analytical mind and the ability to make quick decisions to get ahead of your opponent.
How digital Ludo has made the game even more popular?
With the digitalization of Ludo in these modern times, playing Ludo has been made easy and accessible for all to play at any time and anywhere without the need for any board or dice but just a smartphone. During the pandemic, the popularity of the Ludo game reached an even higher peak as people were stuck at home with nothing to do and full of boredom, especially the Ludo real money game.
The Ludo real money gaming industry is not something new but with the pandemic, it peeked like never before. People were stuck with nowhere to go and bored of their monotonous routine of being inside by playing the Ludo real cash, they got a chance to indulge in their childhood memories while also getting winning some Ludo real money.
There are various digitalized Ludo real cash board game mobile applications now available for playing. Let’s look at some of those top Ludo games:
| Ludo Real Money Games | Gaming Company |
| Ludo Empire | Fabzen Technologies Pvt Ltd. |
| Ludo Supreme | Zupee |
| Gamezy Ludo | Gamezy |
| MPL Ludo | MPL (Mobile Premier League) |
| Winzo Ludo | WinZO Games |
| League Ludo | Ludo League |
| Speed Ludo | Rush |
| Ludo Ninja | Ludo Ninja |
| Ludo Fantasy | Ludo Fantasy |
| Elite ludo | Elite ludo |
| Skkily Ludo | Skkily Ludo |
| Brainy Ludo | Ludo Cash |
| Premiumleague Ludo | Ludo Premium League |
| Aqua Ludo | Aqua Ludo |
| Skill Ludo | ludo skill |
| Superstar Ludo | LUDO Superstar |
| Ludo money | Ludo money |
| Hyper Ludo | Hyper Ludo |
| Speed Ludo | PlayerzPot |
| India Ludo Cup | India Ludo Cup |
| Adda Ludo | Khiladi Adda |
| Hind Ludo | Ludo Hind |
| 4P Ludo | 4P Ludo Pro |
| Sikandar Ludo | Ludo Sikandar |
Ludo Empire is currently the leading, trendiest online Ludo real money game in India. It is an online Ludo real cash game where multiple online players compete against each other in real-time to top the leaderboard while also winning Ludo real cash prizes.
Ludo Empire doesn’t just provide you with the consistent Ludo experience of your childhood but also provides you with various games mode to experience the game in different ways, such as Classic Mode, Quick Mode and Tournaments, each with the possibility of winning huge amounts of Ludo real cash prizes.
So, what are you waiting for? Download the Ludo Empire app and start winning real money today!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where can the first indication of the Ludo game be found?
While the most well-known mention of Ludo is found in the scripts of the Indian Epic Mahabharata, the oldest indication of the game can be found in the Ellora Caves, which presents multiple boards of Ludo.
2. Who patented the name “Ludo”?
Alfred Collier, in the 19th century, patented the British’s modernized version of the board game, then known as Chaupar, and named it Ludo, spreading its knowledge worldwide.
3. What are the various names Ludo has had in history?
The Ludo game was originally known as Pachisi, mentions of it can be found in the Indian Epic Mahabharata. It, over time, went through a few changes in the board and rule and came to be known as Chaupar, which was especially popular with the Mughals. Once the British arrived in India, they adapted the game to their convenience and named it Ludo, as it is still known today.
4. Why is the Ludo game so popular in India?
The reason Ludo is a popular game in the Indian subcontinent is due to the game’s cultural and historical values in India and its neighbouring countries.
5. Which game is the most popular Ludo game?
Ludo Empire is currently the trendiest and leading online Ludo game in India, where you can indulge in your childhood memories and have fun while also winning cash.