A pack of ganjifah cards that belonged to Warren Hastings

Source: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/asia/g/ganjifa_playing_cards.aspx
(downloaded June 2008)

A set of Mughal, perhaps Dakhani, ganjifa cards, c.1850

Source: http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LotDetail.asp?sid=&intObjectID=4740522&SE=CMWCAT04+13603+232697500+&QR=M+1+41+Aqc0000900+11476++Aqc0000900+&entry=india&SU=1&RQ=True&AN=42
(downloaded May 2006)

"HAND-PAINTED MUGHAL GANJIFA CARDS. DECCAN (?), INDIA, CIRCA 1850. 95 OF 96 CARDS (LACKS 9 OF SHAMSHER), HAND PAINTED AND LACQUERED ON IVORY AND SHOWING CUSPED ARCHES WITH GILT FLOURISHES IN THE CORNERS AND BACKS HOUSED IN PAINTED WOODEN BOX. THE BACKS OF THE CARDS ARE DECORATED WITH A CENTRAL ORNAMENT AGAINST A RED BACKGROUND. THE DECK IS DIVIDED INTO EIGHT SUITS, EACH ONE WITH 12 CARDS, AND CONTAINING A MIR/KING, WAZIR/MINISTER, AND TEN PIP CARDS (10 TO 1). GENERALLY, THE KINGS SIT ON A SQUARE FOUR-LEGGED THRONE WITH A CURVED BACK AND BENEATH A FIXED CHAIR OR CANOPY. A SERVANT STANDS TO THE REAR AND HOLDS A FEATHER WHISK WHILE A COURTIER APPEARS IN FRONT OF THE KING. THE WAZIR USUALLY IS SHOWN SITTING ON A PRANCING HORSE. BOTH KING AND WAZIR HOLD THEIR SUIT SIGNS. THE EIGHT SUITS IN THIS DECK ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR SUPERIOR SUITS AND FOUR INFERIOR SUITS. SUPERIOR SUITS ARE: TAJ (JEWELED CROWNS), SAFED (MOONS), SHAMSHER (SWORDS) AND GHULAM (SLAVES/SERVANTS). THE INFERIOR SUITS ARE CHANG (LYRE OR HARP) WHICH IN THIS DECK RESEMBLES A BIRD WITH A LONG BEAK, SURKH (GOLD COIN OR SUN), BARAT (DOCUMENT), AND QUIMASH (CUSHION). TWO STRIKING FEATURES OF THE CARDS IN THIS GANJIFA DECK ARE THE TOTAL ABSENCE OF WOMEN AND THE SUBSTITUTION OF BIRDS FOR CHANGES/LYRES. EVEN THE MIR/KING AND HIS CAMEL-RIDING WAZIR/MINISTER HOLD A BIRD IN THEIR HANDS."

A ganjifa deck from Orissa

Source: ebay, July 2007

"Ganjapa (ganjifa) cards are an ancient art in India, the earliest mention being in the memoirs of the Emperor Babur.The state of Orissa is probably the best known centre for their production but their making is said to be on the verge of extinction, if it has not already died. There are 12 cards to a set, ten numbers and a king and a vizier, there being 46, 96, 120 or 144 in a pack.  It is extremely hard nowadays to find a complete pack as we have here with 96 cards. The cards are made from a type of 'pata chitra', that is layers of cotton gauze and tamarind seed glue, painted in bright colours from natural mineral and vegetable dyes and given a lacquered finish."