Card games have always been a major part of Indian culture. Maybe it’s not known to many, but India has been home to many card games like bridge, rummy, poker, teen Patti etc. Every third or fourth household owns deck of cards to play with, in leisure time. Also, many must have entered casinos to play card games at some point of their lives. Playing cards have served as a medium to pass time, perform magic tricks and a mathematical probability model, at times as a currency model and an instrument to for secret message.

 

Over the years, deck of cards reveals peculiarities of their origin. They are not just toys or tools but cultural imprints that reveal popular system. Having said that, there’s another aspect involved with the cards games that no one really explored till now. And it has a great significance to it.  There are some questions which are left unexplored till now.

 

It’s been said that every symbol of the deck has some meaning behind it, has some significance. For some it represents some natural aspects, for some it has some mysterious edge to it. If you are one of those people who are yet to explore it, It’s the right time –

Spades –

A spade represents the winter season. It’s represents the later stage of life when people learn – wisdom, acceptance, transformation, etc. Apart from this, in some cultures, it symoolizes the element of water.

 

Hearts –

A heart represents the season of spring, when everything blossoms, grows!  It represents the phase of the beginning i.e. childhood. It also signifies the element of fire. The power that fuels the growth.

 

Clubs –

The club represents the season of Summer, when everything shines and looks bright. It represents the stage of youth, educations, recklessness, etc. Clubs signifies the element of earth.

Diamonds –

The Diamonds represents the season of Autumn or Fall. It represents the stage of growth, responsibilities, values, security, maturity, etc. The diamonds represent the element of Air.

In ancient Europe, the suit represented the structure or the system of the society and human energy. The clubs represented the peasantry and achievement, Diamonds represented the merchant class and the excitement of the wealth creation. The hearts represented the emotions/religion i.e church and struggle to achieve inner joy. And lastly, the spades represented the warrior class, nobility and the problems of life.

There are 13 cards in each suit including the king, the queen and the jack! Each value number of the cards represents/symoolizes the personality trait.

• Ace stands of the desire, wish
•  Two stands for the unity, strength
• Three stands for faith, emotions
• Four stands for satisfaction, contentment
• Five symoolizes the change, transformation
• Six stands for adjustments, amendments
• Seven is an epitome of victory, achievement
• Eight stands for power, valor
• Nine represents the new beginning, journey
• Ten symoolizes the success, growth

Maybe, today the meaning of the playing cards is not related to the actual games or doesn’t affect the game but a few believes that a deck of cards is a marvel of engineering, design and history.

Even though the card games are still being considered taboo in some parts of the society, they are actually helpful in discovering secret facts and major part of learning.