Picturesque Nepal . hildrensometimes being gambled for, as the Nepalihas the reputation for being an inveterategamester. Wright states that one man issaid to have cut off his left hand and put itdown under a cloth as his stake. On winningthe game, he insisted on his opponent cuttingoff his hand, or else restoring all the moneywhich he had previously won. At this festival the signal is given by theauthorities that the gambling may begin bythe firing of a gun. Immediately every occu-pation is thrown to the winds, the streetsare packed with little groups, and the citysquares become one mass of ex
Picturesque Nepal . hildrensometimes being gambled for, as the Nepalihas the reputation for being an inveterategamester. Wright states that one man issaid to have cut off his left hand and put itdown under a cloth as his stake. On winningthe game, he insisted on his opponent cuttingoff his hand, or else restoring all the moneywhich he had previously won. At this festival the signal is given by theauthorities that the gambling may begin bythe firing of a gun. Immediately every occu-pation is thrown to the winds, the streetsare packed with little groups, and the citysquares become one mass of excited people,as the entire place is simultaneously strewnwith tables of pice and cowries. Eachhouse and shop has its gambling party, allearnestly engaged in some form of play,either cards, dice, or Tommy dod. Thecard game is generally a kind of three-cardtrick, European cards are mostly employed,but the old Indian tash is not uncommon,the circular papier-mache article of greatantiquity being sometimes seen, but this. ?^ -fei?*! PERCY a!HOw-N ENTRANCE TO THE BHAVANI TEMPLE AT BHATGAON. (^. 75). THE GREAT DAY 195 picturesque disc is rapidly dying out. Whenthe common paper cards are used it is con-sidered always correct to deal from the bottom,and as the packs are well thumbed and oftendamaged, it is not unusual for certain cardsto be easily identified by all immediatelythey have left the dealers hand, but thisonly seems to increase the hilarity of theplayers. The Tommy dod is played withcowries, fifteen of these being taken in thehand, shaken and thrown down on a board,the company betting on which side the mostturn up, the split side or the smooth. Peopleseem to drift from one table to anotherduring the course of the night, for this aspectof the festival goes on without a break forsome days, and where stakes run high, or thebetting is keen, excited crowds gather round,cheering lustily at any unexpected turn ofthe game. On the tenth and last day of the Dasserafestival, it is usual
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidpicturesquen, bookyear1912
