The history of carrom is a little murky since the game dates back so far, but goes a little something like this: an early version of the game arrived in North Africa in the 1100s, and it transformed through several variations before making its way to the palaces of Indian kings in the 1700s. When Europe colonized the region in the 1800s, the game continued to be shared across borders and, by the 1900s, millions of people all around the globe actively played the game. The International Carrom Federation (ICF) was established in 1988 in India, followed by the United States Carrom Association in 1995. Today, dozens of national carrom federations host ongoing tournaments around the world.
As carrom has traveled across continents and won the hearts of so many different people, its name has been picked up and transformed a bit along the way. Today, carrom can also be spelled carrom, carum, caram, karam, karom, kayrum, कैरम, and plenty more that can’t be listed here in a neat format. The definition of the word itself is “to strike and rebound,” which is a big hint at the way the game is played.
Even with all of this change and new beginnings for the game, the basic rules of carrom remain the same as they’ve always been, even hundreds of years ago! From its origins in the 1100s all the way up to this very day, carrom continues to be loved by millions – from India where it can be found in nearly every household, to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, the UK, Germany, and so many more.
Carrom has brought friends, families, communities, even strangers together for the past several hundreds of years, as one of the most loved games in the world. At Play Carrom, we’re all about (re)connecting with community and culture, and uniting people of many different backgrounds over a shared joyful experience. So whether you’re new to carrom or it’s just been a while since you last played, we are so happy that you’re keeping the tradition alive with us.
Let’s play carrom!
P.S. If you want to read more about our own connection to carrom, check out Our Story!