Bhutan: People initiate revival of 'Doegor', a typical game on verge of extinction

Thimphu [Bhutan], October 13 : Some elderly people have initiated the revival of 'Doeger', a typical Bhutanese game that is on the verge of extinction due to fading popularity, the Bhutan Live reported.
Doegor is a typical Bhutanese game that is played by throwing a flat stone at a range of around 20 metres used to be popular not very long ago. However, the game has lost its popularity and is almost on the verge of vanishing due to the emergence and development of new sports.
In Punakha, some elderly people of Chhubu and Toedwang Gewogs initiated the revival of the game in the community beginning last year by organizing matches.
As part of the revival initiative, this year, a daylong match was played between the people of Chhubu Gewog and Toedwang Gewog at Samdingkha recently. Eleven players from each team took part in the match, Bhutan Live reported.
The game which can be played anywhere requires just two sticks placed at two ends of the ground as targets. Any player who can land the stone nearest to the stick gets the point.
The elderly people gathered to witness the match say one can rarely see young Bhutanese playing this game nowadays which they used to enjoy playing almost every day in the past, Bhutan Live reported.
"We used to have many people keen to play 'Doegor' during our childhood days in the village. Since this culture is declining, an elderly person from the other village came forward and asked two of us to organize this match. We thought the game would vanish one day if the elderly people didn't organize such match," said Drali, a resident.
"Datse-Doegor" used to be a renowned game in our society. But somehow the culture of playing 'Doegor' has declined as people started focusing more on the game of Khuru. Of course, archery is still being played today. So, Ap Drali and I discussed about this and began to organize such a match from last year," another resident named Kinley Gyeltshen said.
"Earlier, we used to play 'Doegor' in Khawa, Jara and Jangwakha villages, and even in Tsephu village. However, the culture of playing 'Doegor' has declined. It is disheartening to see this indigenous game declining," said a resident named Khandu.
To preserve the game, elderly people in the region have decided to organize such a match twice every year.
Locals believe the game of playing 'Doegor' initially originated from the monk body. They say monks used to play the game whenever they had free time, Bhutan Live reported.