In Deeyan Keliya sixteen dice representing cows and four dice representing tigers are placed on a board and the cows have to get from one side to the other without being intercepted and captured by the tigers.
Some of the outdoor games played by adults are of the ordinary kind, and others of a semi-religious significance.
The ordinary outdoor games are Buhu Keliya, Pandu Keliya, Lunu Keliya, Muttê, Hâlmẹlê and Tattu penille.
In Buhu Keliya there are several players who place their balls, (made of any bulbous root hardened and boiled till it becomes like rubber), round a pole firmly fixed to the ground; to this pole is attached a string about 5 feet long held by a player whose endeavour is to prevent the others getting possession of the balls without being touched. The person touched takes the place of the guarding player and when all the balls are taken away the last guard is pelted with them till he finds safety in a spot previously agreed upon.
In Pandu Keliya the players form into two sides, taking their stand 100 yards apart with a dividing line between; the leader of one party throws a ball up and as it comes down beats it with his open palm and sends the ball over the line to the opposing side. If the other party fails to beat or kick it back, they must take their stand where the ball fell and the leader of their party throws the ball to the other side in the same way. This goes on till one party crosses the boundary line and drives the other party back.
In Lunu Keliya there are two sets of players occupying the two sides of a central goal (lunu) about 30 or 40 yards from it; a player from one side has to start from the goal, touch a player of the other side and regain the goal holding up his breath; if he fails he goes out and this goes on till the side which has the greatest number of successful runners at the end is declared the winner.
In Muṭṭé (rounders) a post is erected as a goal, and one of the players stands by it and has a preliminary conversation with the others:—
Q.—Kîkkiyô.
A.—Muddarê.
Q.—Dehikatuvada batukatuvada—Is it a lime-thorn or a brinjal-thorn?