Royal Family of Sawantwadi Inaugurates Kreedaa Kaushalya 2024
- by Rahul Singh
-
On 17th May 2024, Rajabahadur Khem Sawant Bhonsle VI and Ranisaheb Shubhadadevi Khem Sawant of the Royal Family of Sawantwadi lit the lamp and inaugurated the 10th edition of Ramsons Kreedaa Kaushalya. The occasion was accompanied by a traditional nadaswara welcome and a brief puppet performance by Mysuru Puppet Theatre.
Sawantwadi, in coastal Maharashtra, is one of India's most celebrated centres for traditional lacquerware toys and playing cards — the Ganjifa. It was fitting that Rajabahadur Khem Sawant Bhonsle VI inaugurated an exhibition dedicated entirely to India's traditional board game heritage.
At the event, three new game boards were released. Rajabahadur released the 5-house Chaukabara in the woolen mini pile carpet craft of Sarmoli, Uttarakhand. Ranisaheb released the 7-house Chaukabara in the applique craft of Pipili, Odisha. Ganjifa artist Raghupati Bhat released Daadu — a game played exclusively by the Dawoodi Bohra community of Gujarat — newly crafted in Lambani embroidery with Channapatna counters.
Raghu Dharmendra, art historian and designer at Ramsons Kala Pratishtana, also displayed the gameboard of Aligulimane (Mancala) — designed by him in the lost wax process of bronze casting.
The board games from Kreedaa Kaushalya are available at Ramsons Handicrafts, Mysore, and online at shop.houseoframsons.com.
