The next game I learnt was called 'Kalikalam' a kind of hop- scotch, with a broken piece of earthen pot, about an inch and a half in diameter, or a round flat stone. It was quite a popular game among my sister and her friends

My sister taught me the game so I could play it with her when her friends couldn't.

A rectangle about three yards long and two yards wide is drawn
 

This rectangle is divided into various  compartments about a foot wide. The space of four - foot square in the middle is subdivided into four triangles by a cross. Beyond these triangles are three more parallel lines. Standing on one foot one has to hop and push the mainly with the big toe, into the first three houses, one after another, then into the four triangles; and finally into the three houses beyond the triangles

The must pass neatly through the various compartments. Whoever succeeds in going first through all the compartments, a symbolic map of the three worlds, four oceans and three heavens, is the winner.

Though at first I was mortified to play a 'girlie' game, I soon found it quite interesting. My sister and I spent many evenings playing it in the quiet of the courtyard after all our playmates had gone home. Of course, she always won - I was never good at balancing on one foot, anyway!