Revival of Indian board games
Product and textile design
Jan 2021 - May 2021
1 Designer, 1 Manager, A community of artisans
Design Ni Dukaan
Project outline
The internship project with architecture studio 'Design Ni Dukaan' was a deep exploration of ancient Indian board games and their nostalgic relevance in today's world. Collaborating with Jat artisans of Kutch and utilizing woodworking and metal tools under the studio's guidance, I created a collection of three board games: Pachisi (modern-day Ludo), Chaturaji/Chess (4-player and 2-player chess), and Pallanguzhi (Mancala).
This project took me back to the times I played these games with my grandma and was developed during the darkness of the two years of COVID-19, a period when people reconnected with their roots and families. There were numerous "how might we" questions in the equation, but this project was nothing short of an artistic endeavour and a profound journey into understanding design thinking for me.
Expressing Nostalgia effect through board games, as a way to lift spirits, evoke a sense of community, and offer a break from the digital world and the constant presence of technology.
The What, Why, When, Who and How behind the project
This project comes with a carefully constructed problem statement; A deep dive into the psychology behind nostalgia and consumer trends, consumer analysis and most importantly, an integration with the local community of craftsmen, fostering co-creation and developing artistic sensibility. This effort isn't just about making things; it's about building a deeper connection between creators and the community, enriching both in the process.
How board games can foster a sense of community and strengthen connections
Traditionally, people of all ages, not just children, gathered to play in the evenings. Entire families, including aunts, uncles, grandparents, and children, would spend time together, using games to bond, pass the time, and even instill family values. For most games represent a slice of life and that’s what adds to their charm and what makes them so enjoyable – the universal element that many of these games represent. That’s what allows these games to
cut across age, background and culture allowing diverse people to play together and
enjoy them.
Long term impact goal and key outcomes
The long-term impact would be to revive traditional board games in the luxury sector, giving them new life as sculptural pieces. By incorporating board game sculptures into homes, we can cultivate an identity for users as culturally sensitive individuals. These pieces would also serve as conversation starters and ice breakers, adding an element of gamification to the home environment. The key outcome is to popularize Indian board games and share their rich history, emphasizing the tradition and value encapsulated within these small boards.
Embracing the unknown, allowing forms to guide the design, merging art and design to achieve a nuanced aesthetic.
Rather than forcing the form to fit the function, I let the form choose the funciton. The explorations involved experimentation by moulding clay, shaping sponge and foam, chiseling wood, stringing thread, stitching cloth, cutting foamboards and papers. Inspired by these physical forms, i created sketches, and repeated the process again until the forma nd funciton fitted together.
Textile iterations
Textile concepts were iterated based on the aesthetic of Morii design and zero waste. The fabrics are patched and appliqued together (zero waste) and running stitch/ Jat cross stitch embroidery patterns are ideated. Iterations were also made with embroidery and block print. The chess board is to be made of cloth - having chess on one side and chaturaji on the other.
The textile samples were made with the Jat embroidery artisans and Bela block printer artisan of Kutchh.
Of Duality, empathy and organized geometry
The roots of the board games are deeply embedded in craft, local community, co-creation with artisans, and nostalgic reminiscing of the past. This is achieved by studying the forms of the old original versions of the games in depth and deconstructing the forms to their simplest nature, integrating the natural colors of craft and dyes. The board of Pallanguzhi is made with wood and brass embellishments and played with cowrie shells, all elements of nature used in their raw form.
The chess/chaturaji board is made on the same khadi cloth using Jat embroidery, embedding geometric patterns on the organic form of the cloth. One side features the two-player chess version, while the other side hosts the four-player chaturaji version. The coins also carry the same essence of duality, with one side used to play chess and the other colored side, when inverted, used to play chaturaji. The Pachisi game has Jat embroidery for every square, with the lucky squares left blank, rolling into the center, carrying the symbolic sense of going home. The pieces are housed in the center as well, signifying home and heart, much like how Indian games taught life values through play.
3D renders were created, followed by detailed working drawings for carpenters. The textile iterations were achieved through sampling with the artisans.
Creating user manuals
Understanding how the games are played
To create user manuals, the game elements were broken down into 2D colors and shapes, which were then used as visuals. An accordion-like structure, complementing the design of the games, was created. These manuals featured planar visuals, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive user experience.
To fondly remember, reminisce and recollect memories
Smara, games crafted by the community
To build the story, different names were researched. After the brainstorming process, the name "Smara" was chosen. Smara is derived from the word "Smaran," which means to fondly remember, reminisce, and recollect memories. The products tell their story of revival from their roots into this modern contemporary world, carrying rich traditions and culture in terms of materials, techniques, function, and finish. The intention of this collection is to take the user back in time to the fond memories of family time.
This project united Jat artisans, architects, wood craftsmen, and designers to collaboratively create games, fostering a sense of community and shared creativity.
Reflection
Taking back a part of the studio with me
This design was an immensely pleasurable exploration of how form affects function, and how function, in turn, influences form. The nuances of subtleties and the understanding of the intangibles, combined with the involvement of people from diverse backgrounds—design, art, music, and craft—came together in an effort to revive the board games we played as children. This process inspired a deeper understanding of design for me. In every way, design is a coming together of community, a unity of thought, words, and art, and a reflection of the user in the product.
This is a graduation project I completed during my final year at NIFT as part of Studio Design Ni Dukaan in Ahmedabad. Working during COVID-19 in a new city was challenging, but going to the studio, interacting with designers and other interns, and for the first time working in an architecture studio, broadened my design sensibilities. I learned to integrate art into design and to avoid thinking mechanically about processes. Instead, I returned to the roots of design, drawing inspiration from my surroundings. This lesson remains with me after three years of corporate design experience, reinforcing that design evolves from real life and cannot be separated from it. I realized that design is not just about solving problems or catering to users' needs; it is also about anticipating them and conveying a message.