Download and print this Asi Keliya game board, a traditional Sri Lankan circle-and-cross race game related to Pachisi. Players race their pieces around the board while working with a partner to capture opposing pieces. Print the board, gather your playing pieces and cowrie shells or coins, then play this traditional race-and-strategy board game with family or friends.
Rules for playing Asi Keliya and a brief history of the game are included at the end of the page.
Both patterns print on Letter/A4 cardstock and are ready to print, cut, and play. The black-and-white version can also be decorated with colored pencils or markers.
Each pattern is a PDF file that prints on standard Letter/A4 paper.
Print the pattern onto white or colored cardstock.
(Optional) Decorate the black-and-white game board using colored pencils or markers.
Tip: Add a decorative border to the color game board.
Trim the game board to a square shape.
Tip: For a more durable board, glue the game board to cardboard and cover it with clear Contact Paper. For details, see the English Board Solitaire craft project.
(Optional) Cut and fold the set of 16 playing pieces at the bottom of the pattern. Fold each piece on its three dashed lines by accordion-folding them together. This will create a raised center tab to hold the piece during gameplay.
For Asi Keliya you will need a game board and four sets of four playing pieces (traditional set colors are black, yellow, green and red), and five cowrie shells—four yellow and one white. (Five coins, four pennies and one dime, may be used in place of the cowrie.)
Asi Keliya is a game for four players in two teams (usually, black and yellow versus green and red). The goal of the game is to be the first team to move all eight of their pieces off of the board.
Each player sits on a different side of the board. The partners sit across from each other. All sixteen playing pieces are placed in the center square. To start the game, each player throws the cowrie shells. The player with the highest score starts the game.
Pieces are moved based on the throw of the cowrie shells:
Tip: In place of the cowrie shells, use five coins—four pennies and one dime. Count the number of heads with the so-hatara being when four pennies land on heads and the dime lands on tails.
Pieces are entered on the center row in front of the player. Each piece races around the board and returns up the starting row to the center square. When a piece arrives back at the center square it is removed from the board.
When a piece reaches the middle row on its return, it can only be moved on a throw of one.
A piece is captured if an opposing piece lands on the square it occupies. The piece is returned to the center and must start over. Double pieces are not immune from attack, but after being sent back they may reenter on the same turn.
When one team has removed all eight pieces from the board, they are the winners.
Tip: Remember, in a team, both players win or lose together! It is not a good idea for one player of a team to finish way ahead of his partner.
Asi Keliya is a traditional Sri Lankan circle-and-cross race game, also known as Sonaru. It belongs to the same family of race games as the Indian game Pachisi and reflects the long tradition of cross-and-circle board games in South Asia.
Tip: For more details, variations, and additional patterns, visit the Pachisi Felt Game Board page.
Make Playing Pieces
Tip: It is easy to make playing pieces and cowrie-like shells with homemade Modeling Dough. For Asi Keliya make four different color sets of four playing pieces each, and five cowrie shells: four yellow and one white.
Playing Piece Storage
Tip: Store your Asi Keliya playing pieces, cowrie shells, or coins in a handmade rectangular box. The Favor/Treat and Deeper patterns work best. Print them on white or colored cardstock, with the option of decorating the box to match your game board.
Pachisi Game Board
Tip: Make a print, cut, and play Pachisi game board with a color or black-and-white printable pattern.
