Ludo History - From Ancient Pachisi to Global Board Game Phenomenon#

Ancient Origins: Pachisi (4th Century CE)#

The Birth of Cross-and-Circle Games#

The story of Ludo begins over 1,600 years ago in ancient India with a game called Pachisi. Created sometime around the 4th century CE, Pachisi is considered the national game of India and the ancestor of all modern Ludo variants, Parcheesi, and related games worldwide.

How Pachisi Was Played#

Pachisi was played on a large cloth board, typically made of cotton or silk, shaped like a cross. Players used cowrie shells as dice — the number of shells landing "mouth up" determined how many spaces to move. Each player controlled four pieces and raced them around the board toward the center, just as in modern Ludo.