Dashabatar or ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu are Matsya (fish), Kurma (turtle), Barah (boar), Nrisingha (a combination of man and lion together), Baman (dwarf), Ram (the central character in Ramayan), Balaram (the elder brother of Lord Krishna), Parshuram (sixth incarnation with an axe), Buddha (the ninth incarnation with peace) and Kalki (the avatar yet to come). According to Indian scholar Haraprasad Shastri, the cards first originated in the 8th century. He argued regarding the placement of Jagannath (Buddha) in the 5th position in the Dashabatar card, but in common belief, Jagannath is in the 9th position. The Dashabatar card game is a complicated one. It is played using 120 cards with numerous rules and regulations.

At first, the artists fold a piece of cloth a number of times, then glue is pasted, made from tamarind seeds. After drying this, the artist applies a layer of chalk dust to the cards. Both sides are evened out with a smooth stone. The cards are then cut into round shapes of a 4.5-inch radius. Using various colors artists draw deities and their symbols on these. On the reverse part, the artist applies a layer of lace and vermillion.