Curious about ancient Indian card games—where to begin?

[ricerick]

Trying to switch things up from modern tabletop games, I’ve gotten really intrigued by the idea of playing something more traditional. Noticed some antique-style playing cards in a local shop and it made me wonder—what kind of card games did people in India play centuries ago? And how different are they from what we have now? Would love to dive into this but unsure where to look for accurate info or how to start learning these games properly.

[FoddyJin]

A few months back, while looking for inspiration for a cultural workshop, I came across a brilliant breakdown of India’s card game legacy. The Mughal influence, in particular, was something I hadn’t expected to be so deep. If you’ve got a minute, this article might be the perfect starting point: https://www.nagpurtoday.in/how-mughal-co...s/03111454. It details how court life gave rise to games like Ganjifa, which were handmade and richly designed. Helped me appreciate these games as more than just pastimes—they were cultural artifacts in motion.

[jinwatkins]

Posts like this make the forum worth checking regularly. Didn’t realize there was such a historical thread running through card games. Feels like a great excuse to learn something new while still enjoying a bit of casual competition.