Awal (Arabic: أوال‎) is an ancient name of Bahrain, an island country in the Persian Gulf. The name Awal had remained in use, probably for eight centuries. Awal was derived from the name of a god that used to be worshiped by the inhabitants of the islands before the advent of Islam. Awal resembled the head of an ox. As for the meaning of this name, there areʼawwal 'first, first part, previous'; ʼawwalan 'firstly, at first'; ʼawwalī 'prime, primordial, original'. Awal Premi also means 'the best' in many Indian languages. Similarly the deity Awal of Bahrain appears to be very similar to the deity Nandi of the Hindus. The Indus valley civilization also had a deity like an ox. It is suggested that there were religious and cultural links between these cultures.

Before Islam Bahrain's administrative name was Mishmahig and it was also called Tylos by the Ancient Greeks. If the name /Tulos/ is related to /ṭiwal/ 'rope with which the feet of draught-cattle are tied together', then the cattle-representation of this deity may be thus confirmed.

Aval (English: She) is a 1967 Malayalam film directed by P. M. A. Azeez with Madhu, K. P. Ummer, Adoor Bhasi, Kaduvakulam Antony, Kedamangalam Ali, Krishnankutty, Maya, Meenakumari, Kozhikode Santha Devi and Ushanandini in the star cast. The film is about sexual impotence, divorce and a social system riddled with incestuous relationships. It was the first Malayalam film to be directed by a Film Institute graduate. It also marked the debut of cinematographer Mankada Ravi Varma.

Cast

Soundtrack

The music was composed by G. Devarajan and lyrics was written by Vayalar Ramavarma.

References

Oware is an abstract strategy game among the Mancala family of board games (pit and pebble games) played world-wide with slight variations as to the layout of the game, number of players and strategy of play. Its origin is uncertain but is widely believed to be of Akan origin.

Played throughout West Africa and the Caribbean, Oware and its variants have many names - Ayò (Yoruba), Awalé (Côte d'Ivoire), Wari (Mali), Ouri, Ouril or Uril (Cape Verde), Warri (Caribbean), Wali (Dagbani), Adji (Ewe), Nchọ/Ókwè (Igbo), ise (Edo) and Awélé (Ga). A common name in English is Awari but one of the earliest Western scholars to study the game, R.S. Rattray, used the name Wari.

Rules

Following are the rules for the abapa variation, considered to be the most appropriate for serious, adult play.

Equipment

The game requires an oware board and 48 seeds. A typical oware board has two straight rows of six pits, called "houses", and optionally one large "score" house at either end. Each player controls the six houses on their side of the board, and the score house on their end. The game begins with four seeds in each of the twelve smaller houses.