Gaming apps that help you practice conscious living

You probably wouldn’t want to hear a lecture about your carbon consumption, but what if you could play your way into learning? For Delhi-based artist duo Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra of Thukral & Tagra have taken it upon themselves to make the world a more conscious place, with games that inspire you with life lessons while still having fun.

Their games—such as '2030 Net Zero', 'Weeping Farm', and 'A Walk With Guru Nanak'—are special creations to play with friends, making use of eco-friendly and repurposed materials. But more importantly, they have been very carefully thought-out.

“The inspiration for ‘2030 Net Zero’ came from the United Nation’s initiative to reach carbon neutrality by 2050—we only have until then to change the course of the climate crisis, after which we could reach the tipping point,” they tell Bazaar India. 

Similarly, ‘Weeping Farmer’ draws attention to the plight of the Indian agrarian sector, as players pick a card and make attempts to survive, burdened as they are by overdue debts.

“In ‘A Walk With Guru Nanak’, players are faced with choices and are compelled to choose the path of fairness as Guru Nanak Dev ji’s 24-year-long spiritual journey across the Indian subcontinent,” the artists explain.

Through their ingenious games, Thukral & Tagra are addressing the very real issues of our lives, while also exploring their own understanding of the world. “We do believe in karma, but we always see the spiritual aspect to connect with oneself... Our artworks serve as timestamps; reminders through which we can look back in time to see our own selves. Indeed, it is personal and political,” they state.