Nossam Dasavatara pattern. History Nossam is a town near Cuddapah in the south of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India and was noted as a centre of painting, leather and lacquer work. This style of card was attributed to the town even before a pack was discovered with 'Nossam' helpfully painted on the lid of the box. Apart from a pack of Dikapala ganjifa in the Cary collection only Dasavatara cards have been recorded from Nossam.
Production seems to have ended early in the twentieth century.
Composition Ten suits of twelve cards, each suit based on one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu. Vishnu with lower body of fish riding a horse. Kurma olive green gold turtle Vishnu with lower body of turtle riding a horse. Varaha yellow gold boar Vishnu with boar's head riding a horse. Narasimha deep red white lion Vishnu with lion's head riding a lion.