Nayanika SamantaKolkata, Nov. 17 -- Director Saurav Bhadra's documentary "Faujdar" narrates the compelling story of Shital Faujdar, the last in his family still practising Dashavatara Tash, a traditional card art of Bishnupur in West Bengal dating back several centuries.
Once flourishing under the Malla Kings, this intricate art, also known as Dashavatari Ganjifa, can be traced back to the reign of King Bir Hambir Malla Dev (1592), who was deeply passionate about arts and culture.
In the 18-minute documentary, screened recently at the Kolkata International Film Festival, Shital recounts that Bir Hambir, a friend of Mughal emperor Akbar, first saw Ganjifa cards at the emperor's court.
"He was so impressed that he brought the idea back to ...