A regular sight during an evening walk through the streets of Puducherry is people playing with heavy metal balls on a small cleared field. Wondering what it is? This is the game of petanque.
Petanque, which has been played in Puducherry for the past five centuries, is one of the relics of French India. The game being played is a constant sight in the nooks and crannies of White Town. It was introduced here by the French.
The game is now attracting many youngsters. One can see people playing petanque in the evenings on the lawns of the French church or Notre Dame Church overlooking the famous Puducherry beach. One can see people playing it on both sides of the famous French Canal. Petanque was one of the many French traditions practised by veterans recruited into the French Army during the World Wars.
When the French handed over the colony to India in 1954, many residents who had spent time in the French Army or lived in France during the Second World War settled in Pondicherry after retirement, bringing with them a love of petanque.
Although the French had colonies in different parts of the country, today petanque is played only in Puducherry. Even today, petanque is a passion for the more than 5,000 French Tamils living in White Town in Puducherry. The Consulate of the French government and the cultural organisation Alliance France encourage this ball game.
Petanque is not only a pastime but also a serious sport. As many as 28 clubs in Puducherry take this game seriously and encourage it. They sponsor and organize regular tournaments.
The players use large iron balls. The field is 13 metres long and eight metres wide. A turf floor is preferable to a sandy one. Each player holds an iron ball weighing 650 grams to 800 grams in each hand. The number is discussed before the game begins. A coin is tossed to decide who starts the game. The winning player draws a circle on one side of the playing field. Each player’s target is a cork ball. Whoever stops his balls closest to the bouchou wins more bags or points. The game is repeated until the target points of 15 or 21 points are scored. Be it a singles, doubles or triples match, the top scorer is declared the winner.
Until a few years ago, the petanque balls were imported from France. Now it is manufactured locally.
The game is popular in 52 countries. The Federation Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal (FIPJP) is the global governing body in the city of Marseille. Many clubs in Pondicherry are also members.
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