A Game of Gods: Reviving Chaupar
Rooted in personal memory and Indian history, this project revives Chaupar through a tactile book and game system that returns the ancient board game to its origins. Once played by kings and gods, Chaupar gradually faded into simplified modern adaptations. This work looks backward with intention, preserving its cultural depth while reintroducing it as an engaging physical experience.
Where It Began
Inspired by my grandmother, who found joy in the simplest rituals, this project began as a personal exploration. Board games were a way she connected people, sparked conversation, and created moments of shared presence. Chaupar became a lens to honor that memory while exploring how design can preserve cultural storytelling through play.A Journey Through Time
Chaupar originated in ancient India as a strategic gambling game, believed to be played by gods and emperors. Over centuries, its meaning shifted. What was once a complex, symbolic game gradually transformed into simplified versions like modern board games we recognize today. This project focuses on returning to Chaupar’s roots, not by reinventing the rules, but by restoring its cultural and experiential richness.
Designing a Playful Publication
The goal was to create a publication that did more than document history. I wanted the object itself to feel like play. The book needed to invite interaction, curiosity, and physical engagement, much like the game it represents.
Early explorations included formats that unfolded directly into a game board. While conceptually strong, these structures presented challenges in navigation and readability. The final direction balances clarity and play through a two-directional opening system that separates historical narrative from gameplay while keeping both connected.
Initial Iterations
Prototyping played a key role in shaping the final form. Through binding tests, layout experiments, and material exploration, each iteration refined how information and interaction could coexist. These early studies helped define the physical rhythm of the book and informed decisions around scale, sequencing, and usability.
A Visual Language Rooted in Play
The visual system draws from the geometry of the Chaupar board itself. A three-column grid structure informs the layout, echoing the game’s spatial logic. Typography balances tradition and modernity, using New Spirit and Nimbus Sans to support both storytelling and instruction. Color, material, and composition work together to create a tactile, immersive reading experience.
The final outcome is a book and game system meant to be read, played, and shared, reconnecting Chaupar to its cultural roots through form, interaction, and storytelling.