Royal Family Saves India's 500-Year-Old Card Art

Long before Pokémon cards became playground currency, India had Ganjifa: hand-painted, circular cards that entertained Mughal emperors and travelled through princely courts for 500 years. Today, this stunning art form survives because one royal family refused to let it disappear.

Ganjifa arrived in India from Persia in the 16th century and quickly became a favorite of Emperor Akbar, who created a 96-card version with eight suits. Each card was painted by hand on ivory, tortoiseshell, or sandalwood, decorated with gold and silver, and depicted stories from Hindu mythology like the ten avatars of Vishnu.

As mass-produced playing cards flooded India in the 20th century, Ganjifa workshops shut down one by one. Artisan families abandoned the craft for steadier work, and by Independence, the tradition had nearly vanished everywhere except Sawantwadi, a town in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district.

In 1971, Lt Col Raja Bahadur Shivaram Sawant Bhonsle and his wife Rani Satvashiladevi made an unusual decision. They trained under 80-year-old master artisan Pundalik Chitari and founded Sawantwadi Lacquerwares to anchor the revival themselves.

The palace's darbar hall became a working studio. Today, around 20 artisans including 13 women paint these intricate cards, each set taking over a month to complete with careful borders, colors, and protective lacquer finishes.

When Yuvrani Shraddha Lakham Sawant Bhonsle married into the family in 2019, she brought Ganjifa into the digital age. She launched online sales, partnered with Reliance's Swadesh initiative, and converted part of Sawantwadi Palace into a Ganjifa-themed boutique hotel where doorknobs and mirrors feature hand-painted designs.

The family also fought for legal protection. After a year and a half of proving Sawantwadi's style was distinct from versions in Odisha, Rajasthan, and Mysore, they secured India's first Geographical Indication tag for Ganjifa in January 2024.

The Ripple Effect

That recognition went national in 2025 when India Post launched the country's first circular postcards, designed by Sawantwadi's artisans and inspired by Ganjifa's distinctive shape. The ancient card game that once entertained emperors now travels through ordinary mailboxes, carrying 500 years of artistry into everyday life.

The revival mirrors other Konkan craft comebacks like Padma Shri-winning Chitrakathi art. By training artisans, especially women, the Sawant Bhonsle family has created sustainable livelihoods while preserving a treasure that connects modern India to its Mughal past.

What started as two royals learning to paint has become a bridge between centuries, proving that dying traditions can thrive again with the right champions.