GANJIFA ART
Ganjifa is a set of paper cards in difereny shapes with
intricate paintings on them. It is also a refernce to a card game played with
the Ganjifa leaves. ‘Ganjifeh’ is a persian word which means a ‘playing card’.
‘Ganj’ also means a ‘treasure’. This is essentially a pan Indian game
originating in the Mughal courts. It was prevalent in states such as Orissa,
Bengal, Rajasthan, Kashmir and Maharashtra. However, the state of Mysore
cultivated its own brand right from the days of Mummadi Krishnaraja Odeyar.
(1794-1868) the game was known as ‘Chaad’(God’s Play) or ‘dEvara paTada ATa’
(Game, that makes use of paintings of Gods) It was called ‘KreeDapatra’(Playing
leaves) in some other regions.
Ganjifa
cards are now better known for the artistic paintings on them rather than the
game that is played with them. The cards in the Mysore style of Ganjifa are
either circular or rectangular. The cards are usually made of paper pulp,
fibers, leaves and sea shells. Natural organic dyes are used to paint these
cards and a final coat of lacquer is applied as a finishing touch. Mysore style of cards contain exquisite
miniature paintings with gold inlay work. These cards are not flat. The parts
of the body are above the card level and the gold ornaments are set in the
grooves so that they last longer. Each leaf has a unique design.
Krishnaraja Odeyar-3 composed his collosal work ‘Sri
Tatvanidhi’ in hand writing and got it ilustrated by artists. He mentions
therein, a ganjifa game called
‘Sarva sAmrAjya pETikA’,
that makees use of six hundred cards. The artists and the constructors of the
games have selected interesting episodes from Indian mythlogy and literature
and created paintings based on them. Bhagavata, Shivapurana, Ramayana and Mahabharatha
are some of the perennial sources. Some cards depict interesting variants such
as Sushruta the ancient physician examining the eyes of a patient.
G.
Raghupathi Bhat or Ganjifa Raghupathi Bhat as he is fondly called is a Ganjifa
artist and a collector of these cards. He runs an Inter National Institute
devoted for Ganjifa art. Consequently Mysore is one of the few places where
this art is still parcticed. He has recently contributed a number of drawings
to the latest edition of Kumaravyasa Bharatha a medieval epic of Kannada.
Further Reading and
links:
1.
www.hindu.com/.../stories/2008091054970600.htm
2.
www.thehindu.com/.../2003060800150200.htm