Human pyramids breaking buttermilk-filled earthen pots (dahi-handi) may be a popular activity on Janmashtmi but for some, the celebration of Lord Krishna's birth is more about the thrill of 'teen-patti.'
People start playing 'teen-patti' or 'three-cards' a month before Janmashtami with clubs and farmhouses being especially booked for the occasion. Meena Sachdeva, a gaming enthusiast says the game of 'teen patti' has a mythological connect with Janmashtami, a festival signifying an end to social evils. "Gujaratis replicate this age old story and play teen patti on a very large scale before Janmashtami and end it on the day of festival," says Sachdeva.
With jobs separating people miles apart, booking hotels or clubs for the game has become difficult for the players who now resort to play the game online. Shantanu Mathur, an online player says that when he was in US, he used to play teen-patti a lot on Janmashtami with his Gujarati friends. "But with time, I moved to India and my friends got settled in different places. So playing it online is the best way to catch up with the fun of this game with friends," says Mathur who expects to play this year as well on Janmashtami.
Saurabh Aggarwal, CEO and founder of Octro Inc, which has digitised the centuries old game of teen-patti. Teen-patti, also known as flush or flash, is a card game.
The game is about winning or losing one's money, which is considered illegal in many parts. However, says Aggarwal playing it online may not raise any frowns as the real money is replaced with virtual money. "The excitement of the game remains the same as we give people eight different variations, we have communities as well and we have also tried to mimic the same feel for people who play it offline. We give them virtual currency to enjoy the game with family and friends," says Aggarwal.
