ganjifa cards

Playing Cards of Mysore

The standard playing cards of India fall under two categories: Moghul Ganjifa (96 card set) and Dashavatara Ganjifa (120 card set). They were made for kings, noblemen and for the common people from a great variety of materials such as ivory, tortoise shell, mother-of-pearl, silver, leather, wood, palm leaf, starched cotton fabric, paper, sandalwood etc. Ganjifa cards are still being made in several centres for collectors and for play, in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bishnupur (West Bengal), and Sawantwadi (Maharashtra). These are handmade, hand painted and lacquered.

Selected cards from a 36 card Navin Rama Chad

There is also an entirely different group of playing cards and card games which originated in Mysore in southern India during the first part of the nineteenth century called Chad. The cards are distinct by their complicated structure using numerous suits, up to six court cards and a number of loose cards

comparable to Tarot cards and jokers in European games. Figures and suit signs completely fill the card face.

Selected cards from a 36 card Navin Rama Chad

Thirteen different kinds of Chad are described in a book, Shritattwanidhi compiled under the patronage of Krishnaraj III Wodeyar, the third Raja of Mysore who lived from 1794 to 1868. The book is written in the Kannada language. The title of the book means "Noble Treasury of Philosophy" and the chapter on cards, Kautuk Nidhi, can be translated as the "Treasure Book of Sports and Pastimes".

Selected cards from a 72 card Krishnaraj Chad

After the defeat of Tipu Sultan by the British in 1729, the territory of Mysore was restored to the old ruling family of the Wodeyars. Krishnaraj was five

years old when he was installed as ruler under the regency of a Brahmin Minister. Later his alleged misrule resulted in an uprising in 1830 and led to the "resumption" of the administration by the British. Thirteen years after Krishnaraj's death it was returned to an adopted heir, Cham Rajendra, in 1881.


Krishnaraj was a man given to religious and astrological speculation. He tried every device and game of fortune, known or invented, to calculate his chances of regaining his kingdom. In the great audience hall of

the Jag Mohan Palace of Mysore, the walls are covered with paintings of astrological charts and tables and endless series of board, dice and card games. The court artists produced beautifully designed playing cards for him including the numerous Chad cards for the games he must have invented. Some of his card games required packs of 320 or 360 cards populated by the South Indian Pantheon. The Chad games were probably played mainly inside the palace.

The structure of Chad cards is derived from the normal Ganjifa with its suits consisting of court cards and numeral cards. These games are mainly built on religious or astrological themes.


Most Chads have six court cards. The number of suits varies from four to eighteen. A suit has nine to eighteen cards of which, with the exception cards number 12 and 13, the rest are numerics of the twelve signs of the zodiac and six court cards. Some packs have Chakravartis(rulers of the world, Gods or Goddesses) distinguished in design and execution from the rest of the pack and also a joker or tribute cards featuring birds and animals - peacocks, parrots and swans. There is no evidence that these Mysore Chads were ever printed by the lithographic process like other cards in India. The largest collection of Chad sets lies it the Deutsche Spielkarten

Museum in Leinfelden, Germany. A beautifully painted Chamundeshwari set in the collection of Miss Sylvia Mann, England, was auctioned after her death in 1995. Most of the rest of these splendid sets of playing cards have been dispersed by antique dealers.

List of the Thirteen Chads of Mysore.

Chamundeshwari Chad :

A set of 320 cards. It consists of an assembly of the South Indian Pantheon. The cards are made of layers of paper, lacquered and painted by hand

Jagad Mohan Chad :

Means "conqueror of the world" and is a name given to Vishnu the Preserver. This Chad set is the largest listed known. An almost complete set of round, beautifully painted cards as well as Chamundeshwar Chad in their wooden boxes are in the Leinfelden Museum, Germany.

Navin Dashavatara :

Navin Dashavatara or the ten new incarnations is a set consisting of 240 cards in 12 suits of 18 cards each plus extra cards. Leinfelden has a Chad set but it is a mixed up lot. The discription of this Chad in the "Kautuk Nidhi" differs somewhat from the actual composition of the above set. This Chad is an interesting one as two of its suits of 12 cards feature only female divinities.

The first shows Apsaras (Divine Mistresses in charming poses with birds and trees) and the second shows various poses of Devi or Durga, possibly the Seven Matrikas and five honours.

Nav Grah :

Means "nine stars" which signifies the planets. A complete set is in the Leinfelden Museum, Germany. The Chad has 216 cards in a pack. The twelve suits are three supreme divine powers: Durga, Shiva and Vishnu plus the nine planets.

Panch Pandava Chad :

The name signifies the five Pandavas, heroes of the epic Mahabharata. An incomplete set of this Chad is in the Leinfelden Museum, Germany and in the Jagad Mohan Palace in Mysore city in Karnataka, southern India.

Devi Dasavatari Chad :

The ten incarnations of Devi with 10 suits of 18 cards each. No specimen known.

Dikpala Chad :

The name designates the guardians of the eight regions of the world or compass. This Chad is supposed to have ten suits of sixteen cards each or 160 in all. There are two Dikpala sets from the Deccan but they may not necessarily be from Mysore. A modern 8 suited 96

card - round Ashta-Dikapala Ganjifa - painted by a traditional artist from Bangalore around 1995 is in the author's collection. It bears testimony of superb workmanship by a modern artist.

Manohar Chad : Captivator of the mind (Krishna). No traces found.

Sarva Mangala Chad : Bringer of universal bliss (Durga). No traces found.

Nav Ratna Chad : The nine jewels. No traces found.

Sadye Jyatadi Chad : The meaning of this has not been understood.

Krishnaraj Chad :

Named after the royal inventor. This handy game of 72 cards in four suits must have enjoyed great popularity in and outside the palace. It was a game of the quartet type. This Chad is considered the most beautiful of all the Mysore Chads. Existance of one complete set and three incomplete sets and stray cards of five further packs are known. These are in various shapes and sizes indicating manufacture at different centres. The Krishnaraj Chad in the author's collection is by a modern Bangalore artist.

Navin Chad :

This is an Indian adaptation of the four suited piquet pack with numerals from 6 to 10 and a

king, queen, knave and ace. This must have been popular among certain classes of South Indians who were at the time strongly influenced by the French. The author has a beautifully executed set made by a Bangalore artist.

Some Mysore Chads may be found in the following Collections :

Carved ivory playing card set in the collection of Devan Bahadur, Radhakrishna Jalan at Patna.

Cary Collection, Yale University Library, New Haven CT, USA

Index of All Cards

All of the material of this web site is copyright © by Kishor Gordhandas.

BOUT GANJIFA CARDS

Among the popular Pastimes of Ancient India, the game of Cards (Ganjifa) found as much favour with Kings, Courtiers and general masses as the Pachisi (Dice) and Chess. While the popularity of Chess continues unabated to this day, the Ganjifa Cards and their games have passed into oblivion. We do not know whether the card games were played for amusement or speculation, but the Indian Ganjifa Cards were and are extremely colourful and painted in such a wide variety that one tends to hold one’s breath.

Many theories have been put forward about the origin of playing cards and claims have been made by many a country as their birthplace. In the literature of playing cards, several European Countries and Egypt, India, China and Korea have been given the honour of having devised this ingenious instrument for the exercise of the mental prowess of deduction and combination. It is possible that Chinese Playing Cards using money as suit signs, spread westward, during the thirteenth century and were modified en route. The cards were brought to India by Moghul Emperors early in the sixteenth century. Once established, the cards spread to most regions of India either in their original form known as Moghul Ganjifa, or in its slightly later Hindu form known as Dashavatara Ganjifa.

In June, 1527, Babar, the first Moghul ruler, sent Playing

Cards (Ganjifa) to his friend in Singh. This was probably the eight-suited pack of 96 Cards. By the 16th Century, several different types of Ganjifa games had already been developed in India. A neatly tabulated description of twelve-suited and eight-suited packs with all the details of cards and suit signs are provided by Abul Fazal, the Vazeer and biographer of King Akbar in his book Ain-e-Akbari.

King Akbar made some alternations in the cards and he is said to have invented a new game of 96 cards with eight suits of 12 cards each, which is now known as Moghul Ganjifa. The eight suits of Moghul Ganjifa packs are surprisingly constant from the beginning of the 16th Century to the present day.

The Hinduisation of Ganjifa themes must have contributed greatly to the spread and popularity of the games. DASHAVATARA Ganjifa with the Avataras as incarnates of Shri VISHNU was the most popular Card game in Rajasthan, Bengal, Nepal, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The structure and the rules of the play of both the games- Moghul and Dashavatara Ganjifa, are essentially the same. The Orissan Pack has been extended to twelve suits by the addition of Shree Ganesh and Shree Karthikeya suits and to sixteen and twenty suits by the addition of further divinities.

Today, the Ganjifa Cards are being made in Sawantwadi, Maharashtra; in Nirmal, Andhra Pradesh; Bishnupur in West Bengal; and in Puri, Bhubaneswar, Raghurajpur, Dindosahi, Parlakhenmundi, Chikiti, Sonepur and such other places in Orissa. Many Traditional Artists have died in recent years, and although much has been done in the past few years for encouraging this Art, without proper understanding and encouragement to the present generation of Artists, Ganjifa Art and Games might fade away sooner than later. Illustrated talks, workshops, Exhibitions, Articles and other publications on Ganjifa can give some kind of understanding, general knowledge from various catalogues also would help and bring awareness among Indians on Ganjifa Cards and games.

GANJIFA CARDS COLLECTION CLICK THE THEME TO VIEW DIGITAL IMAGES

S.N

Place Theme Artist Number of cards /suit/shape/ Material used/ Size/additio

Year of the set

nal information

1 Raghurajpur, Orissa

Dashavatara

Banamali Mahapatra

288 /24 / round / card/ 10.2 cms. dia

2007


Dashavatara

Banamali Mahapatra

240 / 20 / round / patta / 7.5 cms. Dia.

1995


Dashavatara

Banamali Mahapatra

192 / 16 / rectangle / card / 9.9cms. x 6.75cms

1988


Dashavatara

Banamali Mahapatra

144 / 12 / round / card/ 8.75 cms. dia. / With LakshmiDevi on allpradhan cards. Darachitri

1995


Dashavatara

Banamali Mahapatra

120/10/round /card/ 8.2 cms. dia.

All rajas on elephants, pradhans on horses-

Facsimile from a set in British Museum, London.

2002


Dashavatara

Banamali Mahapatra

120/10/ round / patta / 7.5 cms. dia.

1996


Dashavatara

Banamali Mahapatra

144/12/oval / patta/ 6.75 x 9.0 cms / bird version

1996

8 Chikiti, Orissa

Dashavatara

Appana Mahapatro

120/10/round / patta / 8.00 cms. dia / bird version -

LakshmiDevi with Vishnu in reclining posture.

1993

9. Chikiti, Orissa

Dashavatara

Appana Mahapatro

192/16/round / card / 8.2 cms. dia / Vishnu below parasol.

1993

10

Chikiti, Orissa

Dashavatara

Appana Mahapatro

120/10/round / patta / 8.2 cms. dia. /Bird version-

Vishnu with Sheshnag / Vishnu with Laxmidevi on raja cards

1993

11

Chikiti, Orissa

Dashavatara

Appana Mahapatro

120/10/round / card / 8.75 cms. dia./ bird version

1993

12

Parlakhemundi

Dashavatara

Prakashchandra Mahapatra

192/16/round / patta / 8.2 cms. dia.

1993

13

Puri Dashavatara

Not known

144/12/ (Less 2 cards) /round / card /9.0 cms. dia./ excellent / (total 142

1998

cards-missing cards are of raja and pradhan of Kartikeya suit)

14

Puri Dashavatara

Not known

144/12/rectangular/ palm leaf / 7.7cms. x 3.8cms / needle-carved

1986

15

Berhampur, Orissa

Dashavatara

Sitakanta Mahapatra

120/10/small-round / patta / 6.6cms. dia.

1988

16

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Navagunjara (Ath-Rangi) Nine Limbed animal as Vishnu on rajacards

Banamali Mahapatra

96/8/round / patta / 8.75 cms. dia

1997

17

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Navagunjara (Ath-Rangi) bird version

Banamali Mahapatra

96/8/large-round / patta / 8.75 cms. dia

1997

18

Puri, Orissa

Navagunjara (Ath-Rangi)

Not known

96/8/rectangular / card / 9.2cms. x 5.5cms.

1987

19

Puri, Orissa

Navagunjara (Ath-Rangi)

Not known

96/8/rectangular / sandalwood / 7.7cms. x 4.2cms./ painted on sandalwood

1988

20

Puri, Orissa

Moghul ganjifa

Not known

96/8/round

1988

/ patta / 6.7 cms. dia./ Bird version.

Bazar Quality

21

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Ath-Rangi Sara:

Krishna-Radha Ashtamall

Eight episodes of Bal-Krishna, with demons.

Banamali Mahapatra

96/8/rectangular / card / 6.3cms. x 8.75cms.

1990

22

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Ath-Rangi Sara:

Krishna on raja and Radha on vazircards

Banamali Mahapatra

96/8/round / card / 7.6 cms. dia. / Bird version.

1995

23

Raghurajpur,

Orissa

Ath-Rangi Sara:

Balaram on rajacards; Krishna onpradhan cards

Banamali Mahapatra

96/8/round / card / 7.6 cms. dia.

1995

24

Chikiti, Orissa

Ath-Rangi Sara:

Krishna-Balarama Ashtmali-in standing position

Appana Mahapatro


1993

25

Chikiti, Orissa

Ath-Rangi Sara:

Krishna-Radha sitting on a

Apparna Mahapatro


1993

swing, Bal Krishna onpradhan cards / extended version

26

Parlakhemundi, Orissa

Ath-Rangi-Sara:

Krishna-Balarama Ashtamali-in sitting position

Not known


1990

27

Parlakhemundi,

Orissa

Ath-Rangi Sara:

Krishna Radha Ashtamali-in standing position

Prakshchandra Mahapatra


1990

28


Moghul ganjifa


96/8/round / patta / 7.3cms. dia

1990

29


Moghul ganjifa


96/8/round / patta / 7.3 cm. dia./ bird version

1992

30


Navagraha

(Nine Planets)

ganjifa


108/9/round / patta /8.2 cms. dia.

1993

31

Chikiti, Orissa

Ath-Rangi sara -Rama Pattabhisheka (Enthroning of Sri Ramachandra) Eight various incidents in

Appana Mahapatro


1992

Rama's life

32

Chikiti, Orissa

Ath-Rangi Sara- Rama-Pattabhisheka. Eight other Episodes in Rama’s Life

Appana Mahapatro

96/8/round / patta / 11.6 cms. dia. /

Large pictures with minute detail.

1993

33

Berhampur, Orissa

Ath-Rangi sara rath-hathi (Chariot Elephant)

Bird version

Sitakanta Mahapatra

96/8/round / patta / 6.7 cmc. dia.

1988

34

Berhampur, Orissa

Ath-Rangi sara

rath-hathi

(Chariot Elephant)

Sitakanta Mahapatra


1988

35

Puri, Orissa

Navagunjara ganjifa-nine limbed animal-Vishnu andpradhan being Arjuna

Not Known

96/8/round-small sized / On coloured sticker cards / 5.7cms. dia. (Total-95 cards-one card missing – 3 of ghulam)

1988

36

Chikiti, Orissa

Navagraha (Nine planets) ganjifa

Appana Mahapatro

108/9/round / patta / 7.8cms. dia. (Total- 107- one card missing-raja of chandra)

1990

37

Chikiti, Orissa

Navagraha ganjifa-extended

Appana Mahap

144/12/round / cards /

1992

version of nine planets- with addition of Pluto, Uranus, & Neptune

atro 8.75cms. dia.

38

Chikiti, Orissa

Ashta Dikpala ganjifa with animal vehicles as suit symbols

Appana Mahapatro


1992

39

Chikiti, Orissa

Ashta -dikpala ganjifa with weapons and attributes as suit symbols

Appana Mahapatro

96/8/round / card /8.2 cms. dia.

1992

40

Chikiti, Orissa

Rama Pattabhisheka Ath-Rangi Sara extended version of 96 cards with two addition suits

Appana Mahapatro


1992

41

Chikiti, Orissa

Dasamahavidya-ten forms of devi. With Shiva on all the raja cards.pradhan cards show ten different pictures of Parvati's forms

Appana Mahapatro

120/10/round-large / card / 9.5 cms. dia.

2002

42

Chikiti, Orissa

Dasamahavidya-ten forms of devi. With Devi on tiger on all raja card

Appana Mahapatro

120/10/round/ card / 8.75 cms. dia..

2002

s.pradhan cards show ten different pictures of Parvati's forms

43

Chikiti, Orissa

Bhagawat Rahasya ganjifa-episodes from Srimad Bhagawat. Story of Bhagwat in ten parts

Appana Mahapatro

144/12/round / card /8.75 cms. dia.

1990

44

Chikiti, Orissa

Mahabharata ganjifa-twelve scenes of the epic.

Appana Mahapatro

144/12/round/ card / 9.9 cms. dia.

1992

45

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Arundhati and Saptarishis ganjifa

Banamali Mahapatro

96/8/round/ patta / 9.99 cms. dia.

2000

46

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Arundhati and Saptarishis ganjifa-fascimile of an earlier set painted on ivory in German Musuem

Banamali Mahapatro


2000

47

Behrampur, Orissa

Arundhati and Saptarishis ganjifa

Sitakanta Mahapatro


1998

48

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Sapta matrika ganjifa

Banamali Mahapatro


2000

49

Behrampur, Orissa

Sapta matrika ganjifa

Sitakanta Mahapatro

96/8/round / patta / 6.7cms. dia.

2000

50

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Dancer ganjifa - Vishnu

Banamali Mahap

120/10/round/ card / 9.9cms.

1998

on rajas, and Arjun onpradhan cards- Dancers on numeral cards

atro dia.

51

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Dancer ganjifa with Indra on rajacards/Indrani onVazir cards- Dancers on numeral cards

Banamali Mahapatra


1998

52


Ramayana ganjifa. Colourful episodes are found in this set.

Facsimile of earlier set now in the V& A Museum, London, made by Vaishnav Mahapatra, 125 years ago.



1996

53

Sonepur, Subernapur dist, Orissa

Sonepur Ramayana Ganjappa showing Sri Rama's army on first 72 cards and Ravan's army on the last 72 cards.

Satyanarayan Maharana

144/12/round / patta / Putalabandi / 6.3cms. dia.

1995

54

Sonepur, Subernapur dist,

Sonepur Ramayana Ganjappa


144/12/round/ patta / 3.8cms. dia.

1995

Orissa

55



Putalabandi.


144/12/round/ card / 8.75cms. dia.

1996

56

Sonepur,

Subernapur Dist.

Orissa

Sonepur Ramayana Bicycle Ganjappa



All the 12 Pradhans are shown riding bicycles!

1998

57



Gyananidhi Maharana

144/12/round/card / 8.2cms. dia./Putalabandi

2007

58

Sonepur,

Subernapur Dist,

Orissa

Sonepur Ramayana Motorbike Ganjappa

Gyannidhi Maharana


Different motorcycle on each pradhan card

2007

59

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Nakshatra (28 constellations)

Jagannath Mahapatra


1986

60

Puri, Orissa

Rashi (Zodiac signs) ganjifa

Not Known

144/12/rectangular / patta / 9.0cms. x 6.0cms.

1985

61

Chikiti, Orissa

Rashi (Zodiac signs) ganjifa

Appana Mahapatro

144/12/round/ card/ 10.2 cms. dia./ surya on raja cards

1990

62


Naqsh Prakashchandra

Mahapatra


1990

63


Naqsh Prakashchandra

Mahapatra

60/5/round/patta / 6.2 cms. dia.

1990

64.

Bishnupur, W.Bengal

Dashavatara

Sital Fouzdar


2000

65

Bishnupur, W.Bengal

Dashavatara

Sital Fouzdar

120/10/round/ patta / 7.2cms. dia.

2000

66

Bishnupur, W.Bengal

Dashavatara

Sital Fouzdar


2000

67

Bishnupur,

W. Bengal

Dashavatara

Bansori Fouzdar


1992

68

Bishnupur, W.Bengal

Dasamahavidya (ten forms of Durga) ganjifa

Bansori Fouzdar

120/10/round/ patta/ 10.8cms. dia.

1996

69

Bishnupur, W.Bengal

Naqsh Subal Fouzdar

48/4/round/ patta / 11.5cms. dia./

Four suits of 12 cards each

2002

70

Bishnupur, W.Bengal

Naqsh Sital Fouzdar


2004

71

Bishnupur, W.Bengal

Naqsh Sital Fouzdar

48/4/rectangular / patta /9.0 cms. x 6.0 cms.

2005

72

Nirmal, Andhra Pradesh

Dashavatara

Busongini Nirmal

120/10/small/ card / 5.2cms. dia.

2004

73


Dashavatara

Busongini Nirmal

120/10/round / card / 7.3 cms. dia./ Fascimile

Original of 1790, of Nossom, Deccan in Vienna Museum

2007

74

Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh

Dashavatara

Deccan-1840

Older

Not Known

120/10/round, small / card / 4.60cms. dia

1840

75


Mughal ganjifa- Changa Rani

Busongini

Nirmal

96/8/round / card / 5.3cms. dia.

2006

76


Mughal ganjifa- Rajasthan Style

Busongini

Nirmal


2007

77


Mughal ganjifa- Changa Rani

Busongini

Nirmal

96/8/rectangle/ card /9.3cm. X 6.2cms

1994

78

Sawantwadi,

Dashavatara

Not known

117/10 (117 cards

Early

Maharashtra older

set

from 120 cards-three less) round, patta / 6.5 cms. dia.

20 th century

79

Sawantwadi, Maharashtra

Dashavatara

Not known

older set

116/10 (less 4), round / patta / 4.5 cms dia

Late 19th century

80


Dashavatara

Workshop

120/10/ Darachitri/ round / card / 9.9 cms. dia.

1990

81


Dashavatara

Kanekar

120/10/Darachitri/round / card / 11.00 cms. dia.

2007

82


Dashavatara

Workshop

120/10/ round / card / 9.9 cms./ pure gold and silver leaf painted

1995

83


Dashavatara

Workshop

120/10/round / card / 8.2 cms dia

1990

84


Dashavatara

Workshop

120/10/square / card / 8.2” x 8.2”/ 10-colour background

1998

85


Dashavatara

Workshop

120/10/square/ card/ 3.9cms. x 3.9cms.

1998

86


Dashavatara

Workshop

120/10/ round/ card / 5.2 cms.dia.

2000

87


Dashavatara

Workshop


1986

88


Dashavatara

Workshop

120/10/round / card / 8.2 cms. dia / bird version

1986

89


Dashavatara

Workshop

120/10/ round/ card /8.2 cms. dia/ animal version

1986

90


Dashavatara

Not known

120/10/ round / card / 8.2 cms. dia./

Excellent workmanship; minute details, supplied with jari cloth bag- different school.

1998

91


Dashavatara

Not known

120/10/ round / card / 8.75 cms. dia. /another school

1988

92


Dashavatara

Facsimile

120/10/round / card / 7.8 cms. dia. / a facsimile of an earlier 18th century AD painted Dashavatara ganjifa cards of Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh

2006

9 Sawan Moghul Works 96/8/ 19

3 twadi, Maharashtra

ganjifa- Changa Kanchan

hop round / card / 8.2 cms. dia.

86

94


Moghul ganjifa- Changa Kanchan

Workshop

96/8/round/ card /3.00cms. dia.

2000

95


Moghul ganjifa- Rajasthan style

Workshop


2006

96


Dhanalakshmi ganjifa- nine forms of Goddess Sri Lakshmi Devi

Workshop

108/9/rectangular / card / 9.9cms x 7.9cms.

1990

97



Workshop


1990

98



Workshop


1986

99


Musical instrument ganjifa

Workshop


1988

100


Rashi (Zodiac Signs) ganjifa

Workshop


1988

101

Bangalore, Karnataka

Dashavatara

Sudha Venkatesh

120/10/round / card / 7.9cms. dia / Mysore style

1995

102

Mysore, Karnataka

Dashavatara

Raghupathi Bhatt

120/10/ round / card / 7.1cms. dia./ Mysore

2002

style

103

Mysore, Karnataka

Dashavatara

Raghupati Bhatt

120/10/ round / special velvet back card / screen printed / 5.00cms. dia.

2000

104


Marriage cards

Sudha Venkatesh

36/4/rectangle/ card / 9.00cms. x 5.00cms./ Mysore style

1990

105


Navin Rama

Sudha Venkatesh

36/4/rectangle / card / 10.5cms. x 7.4cms./ Mysore style

1990

106


Krishnaraj Chad

Sudha Venkatesh

72/4/rectangle / card / 9.4cms. x 6.4cms./ Mysore style

1994

107


Krishnaraj Chad

Sudha Venkatesh

72/4/round/ card / 8.2cms. dia./ Mysore style

2000

108


Ashta Dikpala

Sudha Venkatesh

96/8/round / card / 8.0cms. dia./ Mysore style

1996

109


Navagraha (nine planets)

Sudha Venkatesh

108/9/round / card / 8.7cms. dia./ Mysore

2002

style

110


Hindu Astro-mythological cards with 22 major arcane consisting of planets and Zodiac gods/goddesses and 56 minor arcanas of Visnu, Brahma, Shiva and Indra suits.

Conceptualized by Gordhandas, the set was handpainted by artists from Sawantwadi in 1990

78 cards / rectangle / card / 11.00cms. x 8.2cms.

1990

111


Hindu Astro-mythological cards

Sawantwadi

78/round/card/9.5cms. dia./ ivory colour background

1990

112



Sawantwadi

78/ small/rectangle/ card / 8.2cms. x 6.00cms.

1990

113



Sawantwadi

78/rectangle/card/ 8.2cms x 11.5 cms./ chocolate brown

1992

114

Pune, Maharashtra

Dashavatara cards, circa 1940

Printed in Chitrashala Printing Press, Poona- circa.1940

120/10/round/ card/ 2.75cms. dia.

1940

115

Sheopur, Madhya

Dashavatara, facsimile ca. 18 CE. Printed by

120/10/round/ card / 8.3cms. dia /

1980

Pradesh

Vito Arientti, Italy

printed

116

Rajasthan

Moghul ganjifa -18 CE; printed by Fournier and Co., Spain in 2004 from the original set in the Museum's collection.

96/8/round/ card/ 6.1cms. dia

2004

117

Rajasthan/ Madhya Pradesh

Moghul ganjifa- of 19 CE, printed by Fournier and Co. Spain around 2004

96/8/round/ card / 7.5cms. dia

2004

118

Mysore/ USA

Ashta Dikapala - ganjifa of 96 cards -originally painted in Mysore, circa. 1996– printed in USA, private, in 2004

96/8/round/ card- 7.7 cms. dia.

2004

119

Puri, Orissa

Dashavatara

Not known

144-1 (Total 143 cards / One card missing-nine of Narasimha.) / 12 /rectangle/ Sandalwood / 7.6 cms. x 4.7 cms.

1996

120

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Navadurga (Nine forms of Goddess Durga) ganjifa

Banamali Mahapatra

108 / 9 /round /card / 10.1 cms. dia.

2007

/ pradhans show nine different forms of Durgadevi.

121

Chikiti, Orissa

Ath-Rangi Sara: rath-hathi

Appana Mahapatro

96-1 (Total 95 cards-One card missing) / 8 / round / patta / 7.8 cms. dia. / all the rajas and pradhans are the same except for the suit colours. A gambling game from Gajapati dist., Orissa.

1986

122


Moghul ganjifa: - Changakanchan

Workshop

96 / 8 / round / card / 10.2 cms. dia.

2008

123

Raghurajpur, Orissa

Navagraha Banamali Mahapatra

108/ 9/ round/ card/ 9.9cms dia.

2005

124

Bishnupur,

W. Bengal

Krishna -Leela ganjifa

Mousumi Fouzdar

108 / 9/ round / patta / 9.6 cms. dia.

2007

know about Ganjifa Cards

Sawantwadi which is well-known for its wooden crafts, wooden toys, bamboo crafts, pottery art, tradition arts of painting, carved bison horns etc. Your can visit Chitar Ali which is a home for traditional wooden artisan. Wooden handicraft, pottery, gold and silver embroidery, lacquer ware and ganjifa. That was traditionally gifted to Chatrapatis and Peshwtis. Some of these gifted by the Indian kings to the British monarchy are preserved in the Victoria & Albert museum. London as well as the Flaying Cards Museum in Stuttgart. Germany.

This art has been preserved and patronized by the Royal family under the aegis of Sawantwadi Lacquer ware Handicrafts, which manufactures handicrafts, ganjifa and typical Sawantwadi pattern of furniture painted in natural watercolor and coated with lacquer, so durable it almost lasts forever.

Unfortunately, the numbers of these skilled artists is dwindling rapidly. There are not many incentives for artists to continue their occupation. Traders and brokers who export these commodities exploit the craftsmen. In addition, trees such as Pungara & Fanas, whose timber is used for making wooden toys are no longer available locally due to indiscriminate and unsustainable extraction. They are now brought in from neighboring states making it nearly impossible for self-employed artisans to afford them.

Ecotourism is therefore, essential not only as a base to develop an economy, but also to

revive the cultural tradition of a place about to become extinct. The Report prepared by the Tata Consultancy Services for the development of tourism in Sindhudurg district, rightly identifies Sawantwadi as the 'entry point of Maharashtra from Goa". "It would serve as an information and cultural center for the district", concludes the report.

Culture

Sawantwadi being a tourist centre, it has developed towards city. But, the basic culture of hospitality, history, art & nature is in built in every person. If you look at the outer shell of the city, Bullock Carts & Cycles are replaced by 2 wheelers, 3 wheelers & 4 wheelers. But inside there is lot of love & respect to every body. Different types of Arts & Nature, are our treasures. There are lot of people interested in this art & nature, coming from rest part of India & from foreign countries. Our success in tourism is nothing but a very good blending of all above.

Here you can find a house made of knitted sticks available in forest. Walls are thin & coated by mud for its look, safety & hygienic security. Owner is working in the field.

A mud house. House prepared out of soil to withstand the heavy rainfall in the vicinity. These walls are enough thick (min. 1.5 ft.) to take care of its gravitational force within itself. Walls are externally coated by mud for wall maintenance & for hygienic security. These walls are made to withstand lifetime. They are decorated time to time, to look new &

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attractive.

Villager women in front of traditional house. If you look at the picture at the top, which describes the flower arrangement in hail style, as a part of regular dressing.

Craft Art

Wooden Fruits & ToysThese are carved out of 'Pangara wood and coated with priming made of Tamarind seed powder which make it long lasting. When dry them are polished and the surface is painted with water colours to stimulate various fruits. As they are made of organic material their tackle feel make them better toys. Instrument used for painting is called 'Charka'. Charka style of painting is also used for making typical Sawantwadi type furniture which is also painted in water colour and treated with lacquer. Hence is known as Lacquered Furniture also.

GanjifaGanjifa is an Indian Traditional playing card game played with 120 cards. There are various types of Ganjifa. Dashavtari, Original Ganjifa is based on mythological tale of Lord Vishnus 10 incarnations. The other types of Ganjifa are Navgraha, Changkanchan (Moghul), Caddapaa (Chad), Mysore Devi, Mulashare. This is an art of Indian folk culture and Indian paintings. (The ganjifas are painted


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or embossed on ordinary paper and then lacquered to get luster and durability)

Gift Articles From Paper PulpWaste paper is soaked into water for 8 to 10 days. Then it is grounded using a mixer and thoroughly mixed with gum issued from trees. Later whitening powder is added to it. It is mixed till it becomes soft like kneaded dough. Then it is flattened and put into desired moulds to get designs and dried in the sun. They are then primed and polished and painted to get desired articles.

Teracotta Toys & ArticlesThese toys and images are made of a special type of day. These are then heated at a particular temperature. The surprising feature of this art is the accurate expressions which the faces of these statures display.

Earthen PotsA special type of soil is sieved and mixed with water to get soft clay. It is converted into balls which are placed upon charka and deftly given beautiful shapes to get usefu1 earthen pots.

Bamboo WorkBamboos are cut and soaked into water for some days. They are then peeled into slendar blades which are then interwoven to get various bamboo articles like baskets,


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lampsheds, curtain etc.

Wooden & Stone IdolsUsing just a hammer and a chisel beautiful statues are made out of stones and placed in the temples as idols. Wooden idols are polished after carving.

Folk Arts

Mythologically Konkan is a land of lord Parshuram, one of the ten 'avatars' (re-birth) of Lord Vishnu - a narrow coastal region of about 720 km. in length and 35-40 km in breadth, situated in between Sahyadri Mountain ranges and Arabic Sea. It is the land of rich culture and heritage. An evergreen nature, beautiful virgin sea-beaches and fruits like mango, cashew, coconut, jackfruits, jamun and berries etc. are some of the salient features of this godly land.

The traditional folkoves - play like 'Dashavatra' 'Naman-Khele' etc. dance like 'Koli-dance', Dhangar - dance, Mask-dance, Kadak laxmi etc. are the popular folk arts in Konkan.

Sawantwadi - popularly known as 'Sundarwadi' is supposed to be the 'Cultural Capital' of Konkan. It is the cultural heritage of Sunderwadi to welcome full-heartedly all the tourist as 'Atithi Devo-Bhav' (Tourists/guests are no less than God)

The Traditional Folk Arts In Konkan 'Dashavatar'(A traditional religious play based on the concept of ten rebirths of Lord Vishnu in Hindu-mythology) - Generally these plays are performed by the local artists at the time of the fair of the various Gods and Goddesses in remote villages in South Konkan. There are no women-artists and the men themselves perform the role of the women - characters. Dashavatar has a tradition of about 300 years.

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These plays have not any written scripts.

Koli DanceKoli or the fishermen are one of the coastal tribes in the Konkan region. They perform a traditional dance singing the romantic folk songs about the various rituals in Konkan.

Dhangar DanceDhangar (Shepards) are also one of the most ancient scheduled tribes in Konkan region. They are supposed to be the primitive people in Konkan. They dance 'Chapay' & 'Gaja' the two most popular types-with full devotion and rhythm.

Wooden mask Dance & PuppetsTraditionally the Thakar' people performs these dances and shows as one of the ways of their living. They wear wooden masks of different gods and goddesses or ghosts and devils while dancing. In puppet shows they perform plays based on religious themes to give certain moral message to the villages.

'Jogva' & 'Kadak Laxmi'These traditional folk - lovers are also performed by the downtrodden and are certainly heart touching to see the performance.

Typical Konkani Food

Ghavane Shirvale Chakali Khichadi Ras Modak Golma - Bhaji Khaparoli

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HISTORY

During the pre-independence era, "Sawantwadi City" or "Kingdom of Sawantwadi" as it was then called was ruled by the Bhosale clan. In 1947, it was merged with the Independent Republic of India. Since then, it has been the capital town of the Sawantwadi Taluka.

THE CITY

The Sawantwadi City has gradually developed around the lake called Moti Talav. This lake is surrounded by the Mumbai-Goa Highway on one side and small lanes on the other side. The town as such started spreading around this lake. The "Khaskilwada" is at the north-east of the lake, the "Royal Palace Complex" at the north, and newly developed housing complexes at the south. The sprawling Queen's College Of Medicine is at the west. The city is enclosed with green mountains on all sides which gives us a splendid view.Sawantwadi City is 57 km from Goa and 450 km from Mumbai. The nearest hill station is Amboli, which comes under the Sawantwadi Taluka jurisdiction.

PEOPLE

The people of Sawantwadi are ethnic Malvanis. Prior to being a separate principality, Sawantwadi was a bastion of the Maratha Empire. All religions, castes and clans live here in harmony. Majority of the population is composed of ethnic Marathas. The population also includes Konkanhast Brahmins, Dalits and Malvani Muslims. Other small communities of Christians, Deshis and Jews make up a minority.

CUISINE

The cuisine of the city is the predominantly non-vegetarian Malvani cuisine.

LANGUAGES SPOKEN

Most of the population speaks in Malvani, which is a mix of Marathi and Konkani. However, shuddha Marathi is also spoken by a minority, especially by those who have been brought up in other parts of Maharashtra. Portuguese & Konkani are also spoken in this region.

ART & CULTURE

Sawantwadi City is especially known for its wooden crafts. Apart from that, various traditional arts still thrive in the city.

Lacquer Ware

Sawantwadi is well known for its products made of lac, like furniture, chess sets, board games, candlesticks, fruit and vegetables and little dolls all beautifully made and coloured. Princess Satwasheela Devi played an instrumental role in reviving this art and trade. On her orders, the people of the village were called and given training in the palace itself.

Ganjifa Cards

Sawantwadi is well known for its production of ganjifa cards. History says that these cards arrived in Sawantwadi 350 years ago, when Bhosle, Royal Family of Goa settled here after fleeing from Portuguese regime there.

The ganjifa card is a card featuring painted pictures of the dasavatara, planets, and other folklore. The brightly painted cards are produced by applying layers of cloth together with tamarind seed paste, then coating the surface with chalk, before polishing it with a stone, to make a smooth base for painting with natural dyes. The back is stiffened with lacquer. These cards are displayed and sold in the shop situated in the palace.

The playing cards or the ganjifa cards as they are called in India, Nepal and some Arab countries, were said to be first brought in India by the moghul

emperors in the early 16 the century. These cards were later popularized in other parts of India under different versions: .

The moghul Ganjifa consists of eight suits of 12 cards each.

The Moghul pattern cards are brightly coloured, quite thin and flexible. They are found in a simple bazaar style and also in an elaborate durbar (court) style, with many shades of quality in between, ranging in size from 55 mm to 112 mm. The largest cards often have a small figure in the centre of every numeral card, known as 'darchitri' format.

The dashavatara Ganjifa consi

ganjifa cards

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