Card Games of Yore

Ganjifa&mdash&lsquoGanj&rsquo being Persian for treasure&mdashwas a well-known card game in Mughal times. Babur mentioned it in his memoirs and, according to Abul Fazl, Akbar simplified the game. Eventually two main styles emerged a 96-card Mughal ganjifa and a &lsquoHinduised&rsquo 120-card Dashavatara (based on Vishnu&rsquos 10 avatars), much played in Bengal, Odisha, MP, Rajasthan and Nepal. The elite used ornate&nbspsets made of ivory or tortoise shell inlaid with precious stones, while commoners used cheaper sets made from wood or palm leaf. Pieces of cloth were used too&mdashglued, dried, primed with tamarind-seed extract, coated with lime, and burnished with stone before being painted.