Game on

BENGALURU: Sankes and Ladders – a game of cultural and historic significance – has also been a Covid warrior of sorts this past year, thanks to Bengalurubased child rights activist Vasudeva Sharma. A game which symbolically teaches one about the ups and downs in life, Snakes and Ladders has been modified to reiterate Covid-appropriate behaviour among children and adults alike. “The board game is a symbolic representation of tackling the current health emergency.

Snakes represent the obstacles and ladders represent the opportunities,” says the 55-year-old. Sharma, who is executive director of Child Rights Trust, conceptualised the modification a year ago. It was illustrated by artiste Wishvaa Winyaas and designed by Dr Shanmukhananda who works for the Kendra Sahitya Academy. S i n c e then, over 10,000 copies of the game have been distributed, including in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, spreading awareness about Covid-appropriate behaviour and precautions that one must take. It has also been translated into Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.

The game starts with the message ‘Health is Wealth’ and takes you through the rewards of Covid-appropriate behaviour and the pitfalls of inappropriate actions: The snakes obviously represent negligent behaviour which can be fatal for oneself and others, while the ladders are rewards for observing the right health protocol. “A lot of thought went into developing this game.

We had to address many problems around Covid appropriate behaviour in such a way that it makes it fun as well as informative. This infotainment way of presenting things will actually stay in the minds of people, compared to an aggressive way of presenting information,” says Sharma. The game also addresses the mindset of being invincible against the virus by placing a snake close to the end with a message – No it’s not a heroic deed.

The game also sheds light on child rights protections and creates awareness about child marriage, child abuse and child labour. Sharma acknowledges that there’s no guarantee that learning from the game will result in action, but maintains that imparting information is important. “The game translating into the right actions is still a question. But it is important that with such initiatives, the message reaches people at the right time,” says Sharma.