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Gyanbazi
Game of Snakes & Ladders
Gouache on cloth. 19th century. India.
This is a painting of a very popular Indian boardgame - Snakes and Ladders - which Jains often play during the festival of Paryushan. The game teaches one Jain ethics (each square says something about a good or bad way of life). As players move through the squares, they can move up to a higher world through the aid of a ladder, or move down to a lower world if they fall on a snake. The object of the game is to reach the siddha-shila, or the place where all perfected souls live (at the very top of this image).
- Play/Explore the Game (V&A)
Jain Snakes and Ladders was a popular game in India. This version teaches about Jain beliefs.
The board represents a person’s progress in life.Each square says something about behaviour or the Jain religion. The ladders represent good behaviour that allows people to move to a higher level. The snakes represent bad behaviour leading to descent to a lower level.