In search of a playing card: Dasavatar Ganjifa

[ajoy....@gmail.com]

Bishnupur, the temple city of Bengal, was the capital city of Malla
kings. This Malla Dynasty was started by Raghunath Malla in seventh
century.

History of playing card is almost thousand years old. It is difficult
to say where it has been originated. According to Rudolph Von Lei den
playing of Ganjifa may have originated in China and it was spread over
Persia and Turkey through Samarkant and then to Europe. In India it was
introduced first in the court of Mogul empire Akbar from Persia.

>From Mogul court the game of Ganjifa spread all over India like
Rajasthan, Mysore and Orissa. From Orissa this game came to Bishnupur.
In 1572. King Hambeer Malla was converted to Vaisnavism by famous
Vaisnav scholar Srinibas Acharya, a disciple of Srichaitanya. It was
believed that Dasavatar Ganjifa was introduced in the court of Beer
Hambeer by Srinibas Acharya which was taken from Orissa. But this may
not be true as it is revealed in this documentary.

Apart from Dasavatar Ganjifa of 120 cards of ten suits named after the
ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, i.e., Matsya (the Fish), Kurma (the
Turtle), Varaha (the Hog), Nrisingha (the Lion Faced), Bamana (the
Dwarf), Parasurama, Rama, Balarama, Juggernaut and Kalki, played by
five players, there is another game named Naxo Ganjifa, which is of 48
cards and to be played by four players.

The making of Dasavatar Ganjifa is confined to a single family of
Bishnupur. It is made up of lacquered cloth, painted by natural
colours.

The history of Indian Ganjifa also dealt within this documentary. The
process of making cards and the rule of this game also shown in this
film. Presently the art of making is almost extinct due to lack of
consumer. There is also no player can be found at present. The process
of making is also nearing extinction due to lack of customers.

Duration: 35 minutes Format: MPEG II/DVD Language: English
Produced & Directed by: Ajoy Konar
Contact address: Ajoy Konar
11,Kachari road, Burdwan-713 101, West Bengal, India

Phone: (91) (342) 2569536/ 3290870

e-mail: ajoy....@gmail.com