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Dashavatar Cards: The Dying Art Form's Last Defender
23 Oct
Summary
- Dashavatar card game, based on Vishnu's 10 incarnations, faces extinction
- 87th generation artist Sital Fouzdar is the last practitioner of this 1,200-year-old folk art
- Fouzdar's passion for the art contrasts with the apathy of others
As of October 24, 2025, a documentary titled "Faujdar" on the last practitioner of the Dashavatar card game, a traditional hand-painted folk art form, is competing in the documentary section of the 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF). This 1,200-year-old art form, based on the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, is on the verge of extinction, with the 87th generation of artists from the same family claiming that the art will disappear along with him.
Fifty-three-year-old Sital Fouzdar, the last remaining artist, is unaware that a documentary on him is being showcased at KIFF, but he is willing to attend the festival if invited. The documentary highlights Fouzdar's passion for preserving this dying art form, which contrasts with the apathy of others. Fouzdar shares the history of how the Dashavatar cards were introduced to the Bishnupur royalty by his ancestors, who were originally from Rajasthan and brought to the region by the Malla King Bir Hambir.
Despite his efforts, Fouzdar struggles to find buyers and people interested in learning and playing the Dashavatar card game. The high cost of the intricate cards, ranging from Rs 4,000 to Rs 30,000 for a set, further compounds the challenge. The documentary ends with a rendition of the cult song of resistance, "Bella Ciao," as a tribute to Fouzdar's symbolic fight to save this folk art form.
