Avalakki pavalakki
\nkaanchana mina mina
\ndaam doom das pus
\nkui putaar<\/p>\n
\u0c85\u0cb5\u0cb2\u0c95\u0ccd\u0c95\u0cbf \u0caa\u0cb5\u0cb2\u0c95\u0ccd\u0c95\u0cbf
\n\u0c95\u0cbe\u0c82\u0c9a\u0ca3 \u0cae\u0cbf\u0ca3 \u0cae\u0cbf\u0ca3
\n\u0ca2\u0cbe\u0cae\u0ccd \u0ca2\u0cc2\u0cae\u0ccd \u0c9f\u0cc1\u0cb8\u0ccd \u0caa\u0cc1\u0cb8\u0ccd
\n\u0c95\u0cc1\u0caf\u0ccd \u0caa\u0c9f\u0cbe\u0cb0\u0ccd<\/p>\n
Avalakki Pavalakki is a counting-out rhyme, sung to choose who is “out” or who goes first in a game. The words are mostly playful sounds: avalakki is beaten rice (poha), kaanchana is gold, “mina mina” is something glittering, and “daam doom tus pus” sounds like crackers going off and fizzling out.<\/p>\n
Children sit in a circle with their palms down on the floor. One child sings and taps each hand in turn, one tap for every word. The hand tapped on the last word, “putaar”, is out and is folded away. Keep going until only one hand is left: that child is the winner.<\/p>\n