Bharata Major Arcana Tarot

Published February 09, 2018 • Updated August 23, 2023

Bharata Major Arcana Tarot inspired by Indian art forms by Ishan Trivedi & Sunish Chabba, 2018.

Bharata Major Arcana Tarot by Guru Playing Card Company, 2018

Above: Bharata Major Arcana Tarot by Ishan Trivedi & Sunish Chabba, Guru Playing Card Company, 2018. 26 Poker size cards (63 X 88mm; 22 Major Arcana + 4 extra cards), gilded edges with an antique look, printed in China. The names of backers who supported the project on Kickstarter are mentioned in the accompanying booklet. In the back design and box elements of Indian Rajputana painting and architecture have been used. Some symbols have been picked from Indian folk arts.

The illustrations are based on traditional Indian folk art forms, Kishangarh style & miniature paintings. Apart from the classic tarot meanings, symbolism found in folk art has also been used. The trump sequence is based on Rider-Waite. Each card is hand-drawn and then finished digitally. The illustrator Ishan Trivedi’s work has been appreciated by both Indian & foreign publishers.

hand-drawn illustration for Bharata Major Arcana Tarot

Above: the Tower represents sudden change, destruction and revelation. The Fool represents new beginnings, innocence and a free spirit. The Lovers card is inspired from Bani Thani, a 17th century painting by Nihâl Chand (1710-1782), chief court painter to King Savant Singh.

Above: some sources of inspiration.

REFERENCES

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