Olinda Keliya was as much an aristocratic pursuit as a household game. Historical accounts note that the Adikaram (chief minister) Ehelepola Nilame had an Olinda board built into his bed, a sign of the game,s standing within Kandyan elite culture. It was also central to women,s social life during the Sinhala New Year, played to the rhythm of folk songs (Olinda kavi) passed down through generations.