Gyan Chaupar, “the chaupar/game of knowledge/jnana or gyan” is the early version of today’s Snakes and Ladders board game. Like the ancient game of Chaupar, the Gyan Chaupar also has a checker board; however, the Chaupar’s cross board was replaced by the rectangular board in the Gyan Chaupar. Both types of games can be played with the dice, cowries were used […]
Long before movies, video games and magicians and manicurists, magazines and playing cards were the only form of in-flight entertainment. Being a low cost item, and with lasting advertising value, an airline has captured the attention of passengers. As a general rule a card is defined as an airline card if an airline name, logo, […]
The normal Indian Ganjifa game is a trick making game without trumps, in which the number of cards won and not their values count towards victory. The earliest literary evidence about the prevalence of Ganjifa Game indicates it to be a game of chance. There are verses on the cards of Ganjifa composed by Muhammed […]
The standard Playing Cards of India, – Ganjifa – fall under two categories; the 96 card Moghul Ganjifa of 12 cards into eight suits, and 120 or 144 cards of the Dashavatara Ganjifa of 12 cards into ten or twelve suits. Made for Kings, noble men and the common people from a great variety of […]
At a recent seminar in Houston on “Royal Legacy: Vijayanagar to Mysore”. I was invited, to make a presentation on the craft of Mysore Chada Ganjifa. I featured the work of craftspersons that I have worked closely with, Sudha Venkatesh of Bengaluru and Gurupada H. of Mysuru. Sudha Venkatesh has just won the National Award […]