Ria Bajaj and Manek Jain Daswani enjoying a round of Mahjong with their friends
So much so that even restaurants are looking to cash in on the trend by adding Mahjong to their festive celebrations.
The ‘game of luck and strategy’ has been popular at theme parties, and we have been told that there is “hardly any upscale kitty party that doesn’t have Mahjong. What once used to be a popular social engagement among Indian army wives in cantonment towns has now made inroads in Delhi’s elite circle as its favourite party game. From then to now it has skyrocketed to an extent that Mahjong has acquired a high table at Diwali parties. The game’s social status and engagement score even seem to exceed the popularity of traditional games like Teen Patti at Diwali parties. Now, a setup or two for Mahjong with highly engrossed players has become a common sight at parties this festive season. From intimate gatherings to elaborate festive celebrations, the game seems to have found its way into every party calendar. And unlike games where guests can join in for a quick round before moving to the next party, Mahjong seems to have everyone glued to their seats Along with parties, there are also festive events being organised by Mahjong-exclusive clubs with hundreds of members across cities. The growing interest has also turned Mahjong into a reason to host a party rather than just as an activity. From private sessions among friends to larger gatherings organised by clubs, the game has acquired a social calendar of its own. Mumbai-based Ria Bajaj, co-founder of The Mahjong Network, shares, “Ever since the beginning of the festive season, we have been flooded with queries to arrange Mahjong events and private parties. We have an event or a party happening every two days in the city and requests are still pouring in. And while Mahjong may have traditionally been associated with women’s social gatherings, its growing popularity is now drawing interest from everyone. Maneka Jain Daswani, Ria’s partner and co-founder of The Mahjong Network based in Delhi, adds, “This festive season Diwali card parties are being replaced by Mahjong parties as it is no longer a ladies’ game. It will be safe to say that Mahjong is fast replacing party games like Rummy or Teen Patti.”
The popularity of Mahjong, a 19th century Chinese tile game, started making news last year.
