Pretwa | Kalamkari

Pretwa, also known as Chakra Vyooha, is an ancient two-player war board game inspired by the spiral battle formation of Indian military legend. Each player commands an army of nine soldiers, positioned at the start on opposing sides of a circular, labyrinthine board. There are no dice and no cowries here — only pure tactical movement, one soldier at a time, along the lines and arcs of the formation.

What sets Pretwa apart is the ever-present threat of the chain cut. A soldier that finds an opponent with open space behind them can leap over and eliminate them — and then keep going, jumping multiple enemies in a single devastating turn. The curved arcs of the board mean danger can arrive from any direction, and a single lapse in attention can unravel an entire army. Every move demands both aggression and vigilance.

This set is crafted in the Kalamkari tradition, one of India's oldest hand-painting arts, known for its intricate linework and motifs drawn from mythology and nature. The characteristic fluid detailing of Kalamkari gives the board's concentric paths and arcs a visual richness that makes the battlefield as compelling to look at as it is to play on.

The player who eliminates all of the opponent's soldiers wins. Each set includes the game board and 18 soldiers in 2 sets of 9. A brilliant gift for lovers of strategy games, military history, or anyone drawn to the ancient war traditions of India rendered in enduring craft.

Part of Ramsons Kreedaa Kaushalya — traditional Indian board games researched, revived, and handcrafted in Mysore since 1970.

🤲 Because this is a 100% handmade product, every piece is one of a kind. The stitching, thread colour, and pawns may vary slightly from what you see in the images — and that's exactly what makes yours truly unique. No two boards are ever exactly alike; each carries the individual touch of the artisan who made it.