Nepali Board Games — Baagchal, Jatra, Dharahara & Samrajya
Nepal has its own indigenous board-game tradition, and almost all of it has been quietly falling out of print. Alchi ko Pasal is the Kathmandu-based studio that has made reviving it their full-time work: Baagchal, the thousand-year-old "tigers and goats" strategy game played on a 25-point grid; Jatra, a role-play game built around the Kathmandu festival of chariots; Dharahara, a tactical game named after the landmark tower; and Samrajya, a kingdom-builder that draws on Nepal's Licchavi and Malla-era history.
Alongside the board games we carry Alchi ko Pasal's jigsaw-puzzle line — Kathmandu, New Road, Katamari, and the Badmas Tommy puzzle — all designed in Nepal and printed on thick board so they hold up to shipping and repeated play.
Shop Nepali board games in Kathmandu
Why these games are worth buying
One-of-one cultural designs
Baagchal has been played on Nepali hill farms for a thousand years. Jatra encodes the chariot festival into a playable story. You can't find these games anywhere else — Alchi ko Pasal is the only studio keeping them in print.
Made in Nepal, printed in Nepal
Every game is designed, illustrated, and printed locally. The boards are thick laminated card, the pieces are wood or laser-cut acrylic. No mass-produced factory imports.
Playable, not decorative
These are real games with real rules and real replay value. Baagchal's 16-goats-vs-4-tigers asymmetry is studied in combinatorial game theory; Samrajya supports 2–4 players with 60–90-minute sessions. Not coffee-table ornaments.
Frequently asked questions about Nepali board games
What is Baagchal?+
Baagchal is a traditional Nepali strategy game for two players — one controls four tigers, the other controls twenty goats. The tigers win by capturing five goats; the goats win by blocking all four tigers from moving. It's played on a 5×5 grid with diagonals, descended from similar asymmetric chase-games across South Asia.
What's Jatra about?+
Jatra is a role-play board game set during Kathmandu's chariot festivals — Indra Jatra, Rato Machhindranath Jatra, and others. Players take on roles in the festival (chariot-puller, priest, musician, trickster) and navigate the procession through the city. Designed for 3–5 players, 45–60 minutes per session.
Are the rules in English?+
Yes — every Alchi ko Pasal game ships with a bilingual (English + Nepali) rules booklet. The illustrations and board text are designed to be readable without needing to know either language fluently.
How big are the boxes?+
The boxes are sized for carry-on luggage. Baagchal and Dharahara fit in a standard backpack; Samrajya and the larger jigsaw puzzles are closer to a medium box but still well within checked-baggage limits. Every product page lists exact dimensions and weight.
Which game should I pick as a gift?+
If you're gifting to someone who plays modern board games, Samrajya (strategy) or Jatra (role-play) will land well. For a family with younger kids, the Badmas Tommy jigsaw or the Kathmandu jigsaw puzzle are safer bets. Baagchal is a two-player game — great for a couple or someone with a game-loving partner.