PEACE IN CRICKET

Old, traditional children's games like kanamacchi, daria-bandha, gollachhut, kite flying and ha-du-du have lost their popularity and cricket has now become the main focus in char areas of Brahmaputra, Dudhkumar, Teesta and Dharla rivers in Kurigram and Lalmonirhat. Although there are no playgrounds in those areas, people of all ages rush with bats, balls and stumps to the sandy shores to play the game in which one local said they "find great peace". But with the increasing popularity of the international game, elderly locals now fear that their traditional games will go extinct in time.

PHOTO: S DILIP ROY