Sawantwadi - Knowledge

557:, Sir James Fergusson on 21 March 1881. The Hall was completed during the reign of Raghunath Sawant Bhonsle. The Darbar Hall floor is laden with tiles which are assembled strategically so as to resemble a flower. The ceiling of the Darbar Hall is embedded with etched zinc plates and arranged to form floral motifs. The Darbar Hall was used as the hall of audience by the King and all the male officials of the State. It has balconies on both sides which were used by the Royal ladies to hear the proceedings. The two elegant chandeliers in the hall date back to the 1880s. The Darbar Hall was officially used last time for the coronation of the Present King Rajesaheb Khem Sawant VI. 160: 1248: 193: 766: 34: 266: 200: 167: 471:

square at the centre covered with an immaculate lawn and is surrounded with rooms on all four sides which is converted into a Museum.Ministers and the officials of the court used to reside in these rooms during the rule. The Palace vicinity encompasses extensive gardens, trees and indeed the magnificent structure which sits pretty in the midst of this landscaped garden.

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The craft of lacquerware was introduced in Sawantwadi around the end of 17th century by the Telangana Brahmins who came from Andhra Pradesh.During the 18th and the 19th centuries, various schools of this craft were started in Sawantwadi. The Ganjifa cards were made from paper that were covered with a

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The Dashavtar Ganjifa is based on the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. They are Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Nrusinha, Waman, Parshuram, Ram, Krishna, Buddha and Kalkin. It is a set of 120 cards wherein there are 10 suits with 12 cards each. The 12 cards are further divided into 2 court cards which are the

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Ganjifa are playing cards and trace back to its origin in Persia. It was brought down to India by the Mughals in the 16th Century. It is believed that Ganjifa cards arrived through Sufi saints during Mughal period. The origin of the term Ganjifa is obscure. It is said ‘Ganj’ is a Persian term meaning

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known for its quadrangle construction and an open space veranda in the center, reflecting the pride, religion, culture, traditions and turbulent history of Marathas. The Taisaheb Wada was made by Raghunath Sawant Bhonsle during mid 1800’s for his second wife Yamuna Bai. The Wada is named after Yamuna

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Palace with the coconut grove facing the Moti Talav further strengthens the imposing posture of the Royal Residence. The man-made lake was built in 1874. Moti Talav, located in the heart of the city, gives a beautiful panoramic view of the Narendra Hill. A bridge cuts through the lake and there is a

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The most pleasant months in Sawantwadi are from December to February, during which time the humidity and heat are at their lowest. During this period, temperatures during the day stay below 30 °C (86 °F) and drop to about 19 °C (66 °F) at night. This season is soon followed by a

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All the states in India had their own style of making Ganjifa cards: Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Maharashtra. These cards have been decorated with varied images of indigenous figures and forms depicting various divinities, flora

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In the royal courts, the Ganjifa card game was known as Darbar Kalam, and the materials used were ivory, tortoise shell and other rich materials. At the same time, as it went famous with masses, it was called Bazaar Kalam. Bazaar Kalam was made of cheaper materials like palm leaf, stiffened cloth,

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The art form is divided into categories such as classical, traditional, folk and tribal. Ganjifa falls under traditional form. They are circular, rectangular and oval in shape and are handmade by the artisans. Initially the cards had Persian motifs and letters on the cards, but later to give them

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He was succeeded by his incapable son Shivramraje Bhonsale, but he being a minor at the time, Bapusaheb’s wife Parvatidevi looked after the State as a Regent. The administration of the Sawantwadi State during her regency was marked by several reforms and progress in education.Shivramraje Bhonsale

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The western coast of India since 1510 A.D. has assumed great importance in Indian history and history of international relations, Sawantwadi has right from the beginning played a significant role. The coast line of Sawantwadi was strategically important especially for the Europeans. The political

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The Royal Palace of Sawantwadi,effortlessly merges the English arches with the native workmanship and the vibrant red laterite stones. The bricked brown walls add to the ethnicity of this two-storied Palace and makes it a exotic tourist attraction of Sawantwadi. The Palace has a beautiful façade

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Along with Dashavtar Ganjifa, Sawantwadi artists and artisans also make Dashavtar Darchitri Ganjifa, Chang Kanchan (Mughal Ganjifa), Navagraha (Nine Planets), Rashi (Zodiac sign), Dhanalakshmi, Musical Instrument, Animal, Bird, Tarot and playing cards are Indo - French, Aryadev, Oval and Double

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The Sawant's, in early seventeenth century, were the feudal holders of the hereditary right Deshmukh under the rule of Adil Shahi, whom they regarded as their master. The Marathas under the legendary Shivaji and Portuguese at Goa were the other two important powers which came into contact with

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boundaries of Sawantwadi fluctuated between the northern latitudes of 17°N and 15 °S and 73° E and the sea-coast from Masure till the mouth of the river Kolwal. The northern boundary of Sawantwadi is formed by the river Gadnadi which rises near the Ghotge ghat and meets the sea near Sarjekot.

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season, when the city experiences more precipitation than most urban centres in India, due to the Western Ghats. Rainfall up to 4,000 millimetres (157 in) could be recorded during the period from June to September. The rains subside in September, with the occasional rainfall in October.

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It is believed that by repeating the name of God, sins are remitted. Besides being a game and an art form, Dashavtara was also used to teach people about our culture and stories from our scriptures, which is why one never gambles with the Ganjifa. It was played to build a sense of community.

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Mang Sawant was founder of Sawant Bhonsle dynasty.He was followed by Khem Sawant I in 1627. He was rewarded Jagir from the Bijapur's Adilshah and later made himself independent, followed by Lakham Sawant the first. It was only during the period of Lakham Sawant I that the Sawant family, with

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mixture of tamarind seed powder and oil, painted and coated with lac. Presently, the painting of floral borders and motifs and mythological figures is done with water-based tempera colours and these are then covered with lacquer in order to preserve and enhance their color values.

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Each suit in Ganjifa game has a different colour for its background. The colours typical to Sawantwadi are red, green, yellow, brown and black. The back of the cards have typically a uniform colour which is orange. It is usually played with 3 players.

748:. It receives about 90% of its total annual rainfall within a period of about six months from May to October, while remaining extremely dry from December to March. The annual precipitation in Sawantwadi is 4,242.5 millimetres (167 in). 661:

The museum was opened in 2005 by Lt. Her Highness Rajmata Satvashiladevi Bhonsle. The museum collection includes photographs and paintings of the Royal Family Members, Coronation of the kings over the years, artworks by king and queen.

709:. It has an average elevation of 22 metres (72 ft) above mean sea level. It is the administrative headquarters of the Sindhudurg district. Sawantwadi is situated on the west coast of Maharashtra, India, and is bounded by the 439:

Khem Sawant II established his capital at Sundarwadi (now Sawantwadi), a hamlet of the village Charathe which later came to be known as Sawantwadi as the rulers were known as Sawants. He helped Mughals against

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by joining Bijapur Sultanate. In 1660, Shivaji sent one of his earliest followers, Baji Phasalkar. He fought a drawn battle with Lakham's commander Kay Savant.In 1662, Shivaji Maharaj defeated Lakham

732:. Sawantwadi has a tropical climate; summer and winter months experience similar temperate conditions, with average temperatures ranging from 27 °C (81 °F) to 34 °C (93 °F). 479:

The Palace entrance is through the Lester Gate which was built in 1895. Named after the British Political Superintendent Col. Lester who had contributed in major developments of the state .

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to its east. As a municipal entity, it spans an area of 132.45 km (51.14 sq mi), and experiences moderate to gusty winds during the day and gentle winds at night. The

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It is a prominent town in the vicinity of Moti Lake and is well known for its wooden handicrafts.The Palace of Sawantwadi is a popular tourist attraction and it is great heritage of

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It has got rooms on all four side giving it a look of a beautiful courtyard. Up until recently It used to have two natural drainage system In the center of the open space veranda.

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picture cards having the King and the Minister or Pradhan card and the other 10 are numeral cards or pip cards from Ace to 10 which have the suit signs or hukum painted on it.

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and in return got more territory from them. Khem Savant was succeeded by his son Som Savant and ruled for only 18 months and later his brother, Lakham Savant succeeded him.

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is approximately 78% on average, and peaks during May, June and July. The maximum average humidity is 93% in July and average minimum humidity is 56% in January. Under the

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of the city ranges from plain to undulating, with several hills, valleys and flat areas within the city. The geology of the city is characterised by hard

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Pancham Khemraj alias Bapusaheb Maharaj was crowned on 29 October 1924.He had a small tenure from 1924 to 1937.He surrendered to the British Empire.

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is the predominant spoken language in Sawantwadi. Marathi is the state language, spoken widely, and also the language of instruction in schools.

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Sawantwadi palace also houses a museum in few of their rooms which is mainly dedicated to the Royal Family and Ganjifa- the art of sawantwadi.

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and fauna along with numerical details. Now only a few families in Mysore, Puri, Bishnupur and Sawantwadi are involved in practicing it.

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converted the 18th century royal palace of Sawantwadi Royal family, into a art boutique hotel,working as a chef and receptionist there.

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is slightly understood but not implemented. Hindi and English are also used in social communication. Most of the town's population are

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areas visited Sawantwadi. The Brahmins brought with them the art of Ganjifa and lacquerware to Sawantwadi at that time.

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hot summer, from March to May, when temperatures rise as high as 38 °C (100 °F). The summer gives way to the

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Historically, it is a well-known fact that in the 17th and 18th centuries a number of learned Brahmins from Andhra and

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more Indian touch the royalty asked the artisans to incorporate native motifs and that is how, many figures from the

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paved pathway running around the water body, a popular hangout spot among the locals of Sawantwadi.

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The foundation stone of the Palace Darbar Hall was laid by His Excellency the Governor of

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In the later history, Lakham Sawant was slain in battle with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

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There is a national highway 10 km away from Sawantwadi and it connects Goa to Mumbai

812: 702: 353: 293: 91: 1313: 1283: 1278: 1129: 914: 1087:"Sawantwadi Palace's heritage restoration is inspired by ganjifa, a Persian card game" 1073:"Sawantwadi Palace's heritage restoration is inspired by ganjifa, a Persian card game" 1059:"Sawantwadi Palace's heritage restoration is inspired by ganjifa, a Persian card game" 941:"Sawantwadi Palace's heritage restoration is inspired by ganjifa, a Persian card game" 1121: 959: 1247: 1338: 1318: 1113: 1032: