Mahjong in India

That beautiful Mahjong set I bought in Singapore, held a very special place not only in my heart but also in one of my boxes! It only saw light when i was packing and unpacking during our many postings. And I still didn't know how to play the game. This wasn't because I was dumb and couldn't pick up this "intelligent" game, but more because I didn't come across anyone in our circles who played.  Every posting, during the packing and unpacking, I would open the set, soak in the sight of the beautiful tiles but still oblivious to how to play with them. Then in 2008 we moved to Pathankot, where there was some buzz about this game and this is where I finally, nearly after 7 years of buying the set, learnt this beautiful game of tiles. This is also when I realised that this game is above all barriers and builds friendships for life. Pathankot times were great Mahjong times....  But soon it was time for us to move again, and this time to West Bengal where agai

Mahjong is an ancient game, popular throughout the world. It's a fun game, and fosters friendship and bonds for a lifetime. It makes an excellent social activity and prevents isolation for people of all ages. It teaches patience; while sitting for long hours, waiting for your turn, and waiting on your tile, patience is a significant factor in the game. Mah Jongg also helps improve a person’s memory and sharpens the mind. It helps people to make faster decisions and better observations, and also forces players to think on different spectrums. In order to make a winning hand, players need to stay mentally alert throughout the game. But every game comes with a set of rules and etiquettes. Mah Jongg is a versatile game and it has a whole lot of variations.  It is said that, “the day after mah-jongg was created; it was played at a second table, with a second set of rules”! So, each table can have their own rules as long as they are agreeable by all the four players. Therefore, i

My First Mahjong Set It was 2001 and we were holidaying in Singapore. The tourist circuit of Singapore brought us to the very crowded but enchanting lanes of Chinatown. The quaint shops were a shoppers paradise indeed ; and it was there that I saw a small shop selling Mahjong sets! Now, I had never played this game.... In fact, I'd never ever even seen Mahjong tiles, but  yes, I had definitely heard about the game. I looked very expectantly at my husband, who although was open to shopping, but hated carrying extra weight. So, it was decided.....we were buying a set! But now, which one? Like typical Punjus, we decided, bigger the better🤣... and went in for the biggest tiles available... Of course, they were the heaviest too... which we realised much later. (I think my husband could not have imagined the weight of the tiles... 😜) They were not the much lauded "Bone & Bamboo" tiles, but were beautifully painted in red, green and blue. The set has 160