Naksh/ Naqsh is a variant of Ganjifa cards. It contains a total of forty eight cards. It comprises of four identical series pf 12 cards. Each has a mir on an elephant called sahib, the wazir on horseback called bibi and 10 numeral cards with designs derived from Mughal and Dashavatar Ganjifas. The suits are Saheb or riders on an elephant, Bibi or ghori or horsemen, Shankha or conch, Pahalwan or wrestlers, Pori or girl under tree, lotus bud, Dawal or swords, rectangular flowers, circular red flowers, red flowers on a stem, white round flowers and lotus flowers on stems.
The Dashavatar Ganjifa cards of Raghurajpur Orissa are playing cards featuring the 10 avatars of Vishnu namely Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashuram, Rama, Balaram, Jagannath and Kalki. The total set contains 120 cards which includes 10 suits. Each suit contains one Raja or the king card, one Mantri or the vizier and ten number cards.
Navagunjara ganjifa cards from Raghurajpur. Navagunjara is a legendary manifestation of Vishnu that has the head of a rooster, and stands on three feet, those of an elephant, tiger and deer or horse; the fourth limb is raised human arm carrying a lotus or a wheel. The beast has the neck of a peacock, the back or hump of a bull and the waist of a lion; the tail is a serpent . Navagunjara features in the Odia Mahabharat of Sarla Das. The Nila Chakra disc on top of the Puri Jagannath Temple has 8 Navagunjaras carved on it, and it’s sculpted on the northern side of the temple.
