Image title: Painted Ganjifa playing card

Ganjifa a popular game of medieval days is nearly 600 years old. The term Ganjifa grew out of Persian root 'Ganj' meaning treasure. A pack of Ganjifa's consisted of 96 cards divided into 8 suits of 12 cards each. Ganjifa's were generally circular or rectangular and were made of Ivory, hardboard or thin wood. They usually depicted numerals on the obverse and scenes of hunting, processions, animals and birds on the reverse.

Transcription (not proofread):

गंजीफा मध्ययुग का 600 वर्ष पुराना मनोरंजक खेल है। गंजीफा मूलतः पर्शियन शब्द 'गंज' से विकसित हुआ है जिसका अर्थ है खजाना। गंजीफा के 96 पत्ते 12-12 के आठ रंगों में विभाजित होते थे। गंजीफा पत्ते सामान्यतः गोल अथवा आयताकार होते थे। यह हाथी दांत, महीन लकड़ी अथवा गत्ते से बनाये जाते थे। इन पत्तों के एक ओर संख्याएँ तथा दूसरी ओर शिकार, जुलूस तथा पशु-पक्षियों के चित्र अंकित किये जाते थे

gaṃjīphā madhyayuga kā 600 varṣa purānā manoraṃjaka khela hai| gaṃjīphā mūlataḥ parśiyana śabda 'gaṃja' se vikasita huā hai jisakā artha hai khajānā| gaṃjīphā ke 96 patte 12-12 ke āṭha raṃgoṃ meṃ vibhājita hote the| gaṃjīphā patte sāmānyataḥ gola athavā āyatākāra hote the| yaha hāthī dāṃta, mahīna lakarī athavā gatte se banāye jāte the| ina pattoṃ ke eka ora saṃkhyāeṃ tathā dūsarī ora śikāra, julūsa tathā paśu-pakṣiyoṃ ke citra aṃkita kiye jāte the

Gallery information:

These photographs are from the section “Paintings” within the National Museum of New Delhi (India). The gallery opens with colorful paintings and drawings made op paper (Kagaj or Kaagaz).