This Janmashtami, Gujarati obsession with Teen Patti spills over online

There are many multiplayer Teen Patti games available on the app market and all one needs to do is download the game on your phone, set up a session when everyone can connect through the game’s network and play for hours on end. Most game companies too set up special challenges and contests to mark Janmashtami.

“Gujaratis play Teen Patti and other card games on a large scale and end it on the day of the Janmashtami, to mark the coming of Krishna,” says Meena Sachdeva, former headmistress, Khalsa Boys Primary School, Delhi.

For Karan Devlani, a Surat-based businessman, playing Teen Patti online is a way to connect with his cousin in Pune. “When we were kids, me and my cousin, along with my other family members, would play Teen Patti through Janmashtami day,” says Devlani. “We would fast from 7 pm to 12 am and the game would keep our minds away from thoughts of food. Even the women of the house joined,” he says, adding that now he and his cousin just set up an online session on the day. “It gets so addictive at times. We keep on playing for hours on end without even knowing it,” says Devlani.

For Delhi-based consultant Navneet Verma Teen Patti is an integral part of Gujarati culture. “It is hard to imagine Janmashtami without it. Playing the game has been a tradition for our family. When we were kids, me and my cousins used to get together and play Teen Patti with small stakes of Rs 10 or 20.”

“Most of my family members have migrated to Mumbai or Dubai and so we meet online, playing the game on our phones,” says Verma. “Today, we play on an online table with virtual tokens, but the fun is still the same, as we can chat with each other through the app itself.”

Raashi Gupta, who is also working in Delhi as a PR professional, believes playing online is hassle-free and easier to manage. “When I meet with my family and friends during Janmashtami and Diwali, we always look forward to playing card games like Teen Patti or Poker. However, it is not always possible to get a poker set or carry around a fresh deck of cards or token chips,” says Gupta. “Everyone carries a smartphone and it’s much easier to simply download the game on your phone, set up your virtual session and start playing.”

According to Verma, even the elderly family members are smartphone-savvy enough to join online gaming sessions. “My family is quite tech oriented. So, often our uncles and others join us online.”

“I run a garments store. The boys who help me out in the store, too, are addicted to Teen Patti. Often, I find them glued on to their smartphones, playing the game. It makes running the store a nightmare at times, but you can’t stop a Gujarati from playing Teen Patti,” Devlani adds on a lighter note.

Playing a game online and playing it live is not the same. Verma agrees, “A major difference is that earlier we used to see each other while we played, but now the personal touch is not there. However, the live chat options in the games allow us to have just as much fun.”

Gupta seconds his opinion. “Sure, the experience is very different online. However, it is undeniable how easy it is to set up sessions online with your friends. Especially, when you are out of town, away from your loved ones,” she says. “I especially enjoy the online challenges and tournaments which come up regularly on the app.”

The app game companies too cash in on the high demand for Teen Patti during Janmashtami. Octro Inc, developer of the Octro Teen Patti, the highest grossing game on Google Play Store for over a year, will be setting up a Janmashtami Special Table on September 5, to mark the holy occasion. The themed table will allow people to compete with each other, win virtual chips and also earn a place on the special Janmashtami leader board.

“Last year, we saw a 10 per cent increase in the number of users on the day of Janmashtami. So, this year, we want to increase the entertainment value for our users,” says Saurabh Aggarwal, CEO, Octro. “On the evening of September 5, we will be organising our special Janmashtami table, hoping that this event will take the percentage increase of users much higher than last year.”

So, like any other Gujarati, if you want to join in the celebration of Lord Krishna’s birth and enjoy a game of the mandatory Teen Patti, download the game on your phone and start playing.