Ekalavya

Who Ekalavya is

Ekalavya, son of the Nishada chief Hiranyadhanus, asked Drona to teach him archery and was refused. He went into the forest, made a clay image of Drona, and practised before it with such devotion that he became a master archer. When Drona learned of this, he asked for Ekalavya’s right thumb as his teacher’s fee, and Ekalavya gave it without hesitation.

“No one would teach me, so I taught myself. Let us see whose practice runs deeper.”

How Ekalavya plays chess

An unorthodox, self-taught player who chooses unusual flank openings and has mastered them through solitary practice.

The Trickster: Keeps pieces on and the position tangled, hunting for tricks in every line.

Opening repertoire: King's Indian Attack · Nimzo-Larsen Attack

Defeat Ekalavya in a full game from the normal starting position to earn the achievement The Clay Teacher and open the way to the next guardian.

Sources

• Mahabharata, Adi Parva

Placement on the path reflects chess difficulty only — a game-design choice, not a ranking of anyone's spiritual standing.