Mahjong mania

From brunch tables to birthday parties, the ancient Chinese game is quietly taking over India's homes and hearts

- VAISHALI DAR

THE TILES SHUFFLE and clack, and the world slows down for a moment. Players lean in, sharing silence, rivalry, and camaraderie in a game that feels timeless.

This is Mahjong, a game of strategy and ritual, played between four people and a set of 144 intricately marked tiles.

An old-world tradition in China, the game started as a pastime for Chinese grandparents in the mid-19th century, but its regional variations now serve as a great inspiration for Hong Kong's cocktail menus or foster community pastime in the US. In San Francisco, mahjong nights draw young crowds to bars and restaurants. In fact, there's been a 179% rise in mahjong events in the US from 2023 to 2024, as per popular ticketing app Eventbrite.

Mahjong is now having an unexpected renaissance in India too. From private residences to rooftop cafés, from brunch tables to birthday parties, the centuries-old game has quietly become a fashionable pastime. In a way, it is also reimagining tradition for a new generation eager to connect, compete, and celebrate life's finer details.