Diwali Traditional Games

TRADITIONAL DIWALI GAMES

In Hindu Mythology, it is believed that Goddess Parvati played dice with her husband Lord Shiva and she decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night would prosper throughout the ensuing year.This tradition of playing cards- flush and rummy with stakes on this particular day continues even to-day. 

Ganjifas – Traditional cards game

Traditionally cards were played with “Ganjifas”.The original Ganjifas displayed enthralling objects and showered the folk art painted by the artists.

Mughal Ganjifa :History says Mughal and Hindu ganjifas were very common and had grabbed all the limelight. The present game of Mughal Ganjifa was introduced by Akbar. The Mughal ganjifa carried eight suited ganjifa pack and had 96 beautiful cards in eight suits of 12 cards each. The twelve cards in each suit comprised of two court or figure cards and 10 numeral or pip cards.

Dashavatara Ganjifa :The Hindu Dashavatara (10 incarnations) were different in their composition and construction. In the first order the number of suits and cards were more which made the game complicated . The figures and the suit signs were common to the Hindu players. Each pack of ganjifa carried 10 suits, which displayed one of the incarnations of Vishnu.

Chauka Bara – Traditional board game

In very old times “cowrie shells “ were used to play games. One  of oldest  strategic games using “cowrie shells” was  Chauka Bara

Chauka Bara is a 'Race Game' where in two to four players race their respective coins on a board of 5x5 squares to reach the inner most square. The movement of coins is controlled by throw of four cowrie shells, hence it is a game of chance. Since each player has four coins, he can decide which coin to move!

You can play the traditional game at http://kavidikali.com/

Can you guess which game is the modern version of this game?

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Its ludo!