Friday, November 19, 2010

Introduction

Play is a basic element of human life and the playing of games is found in every society in the world. A traditional game can be itself a rich and authentic expression of a culture, while also giving rise to artefacts of great diversity and beauty.

In daily life, at all levels of society from village to urban society, the playing of traditional games and contests constituted for both sexes. Playing games of increasing complexity from youth into maturity served as a diversion of pastime and also a mode of learning.

One of India's numerous traditional games is Ganjifa Playing Cards. Ganjifa or Ganjapha is a generic word signifying Playing Cards or Card Games in India, Nepal, Iran, some Arab Countries, and Turkey. The word Ganjifa is obscure. “Gunj” is a Persian word, meaning treasure, treasury or minted money. The Ganjifa game was a popular pastime of ancient India.

Ganjifa cards are of historical importance besides holding aesthetic and artistic value. They serve a social purpose by bringing people together, providing entertainment and by popularising socio-cultural themes. This unique fine art form blends the exquisite art of painting and craft. At the same time, as a game, it grew in popularity during the 18 th and 19 th centuries among a cross-section of people. It was quite common to find people playing a game of ganjifa in temple court-yards, homes, market places and within the precincts of the royal court. It served as a form of entertainment and created an atmosphere of devotion, as the players chanted the names of their favourite deities while dealing the cards.

Origin- Among favorite pastimes of ancient India, the game of cards known as Ganjifa found much favour with Kings, courtiers and general masses. Babur, the first Mughul ruler sent a gift of playing cards to a friend and by the 16th century many different types of Ganjifa games had already developed in India

What are Ganjifa Playing Cards- These cards are also known as the Pattachitra playing cards. These are traditional playing cards which are round shaped but sometimes rectangular in shape with lacquered backs. They usually measured from two to twelve centimeters in diameter. Ganjifa Cards were, and are, extremely colourful and painted in such a wide variety as to take one’s breath away. Artists have preserved the traditional art in the cards and also the main Hindu religious symbolism. The artwork on a Ganjifa card is so intricate and artistic; it is no surprise that it is an art form by itself.

It was a popular source of entertainment in India with kings, courtiers and the common masses. Even today, old people at Puri and Maharasthra play this game since it is believed that by repeating the name of God, sins are remitted. Royal families in ancient India used to play Ganjifa for recreation and pleasure. The game is played with 24 to 600 cards depending upon the type of play adopted. Ramayan and Mahabharath theme is chosen for cards play. During the Moghul rule, Ganjifa received new dimensions by adding motifs of Sword, Birds, Leaves, Animals, Kings, Commandants, Vazirs, Gulams, Meer etc.

Theme- The themes portrayed in the Ganjifa packs range from the social to religious ones. The choice of subjects has always reflected the socio-religious trend in society. Apart from being a part of traditional games, these cards are fascinating objects in themselves – they incorporate aspects of court art, courtly culture and art, and Hindu religious symbolism. Two sets of Ganjifa are popular in India – the Mughal Ganjifa and the Hinduised Dasavatara Ganjifa set. A typical deck of Ganjifa is hand-painted and extremely colorful. Each suit represents a different incarnation of Lord Krishna. Extended decks of twelve or up to twenty suits saw the edition of Ganesha and further divinities.

Material Used- The traditional Ganjifa cards are made using vegetable and mineral colours, each single card being a work of art. The materials used to make the cards were usually paper pulp, leaves, fiber and sea. The cards are packed in painted boxes with sliding lids that are as beautifully made as the cards inside.

Process- Making the Ganjifa cards involves a tedious process, often involving all the members of the artists' family, with individual responsibility depending upon age and ability.

Price- The price of Ganjifa cards are Rs 2,000- 5,000. The price range is for the different theme cards, the number of cards and completely depends on the intricacy of the artwork.

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