Water is the source of life and the holy river Ganga personifies all water on our planet. Our 'Ganga~River Rescue' game gives the player a hand in determining the fate of all Living Units that depend on the waters flowing through the Indo-Gangetic plains. Click here to sign up for our Ganga Play Kit of games & puzzles.
Creating the 32 River cards to go beyond game play and into the world of stories, poetry and divine imagery was a journey on its own.
I have selected 9 names of Ganga to revere the aspects of her divinity during Navaratri, our nine nights festival. The gem like names sing the glory of Ganga, handed down to us through the mists of millenia.
Each Sanskrit word resonates with the story embedded in it. Each card also has a monument located in a city by the river as she traverses through the Indo-Gangetic plains towards the Bay of Bengal. Hope this brief encounter conveys her magical spirit.
Day 1-3 The Power of Ganga
Ganga starts slowly from a remote cave in Goumukh, carrying the name Gaumukhi, meandering down the mountain at a gentle speed. She turns into a feisty young girl Alakananda, splashing her way over rocks, boulders and fallen trees, laughing and smiling. She makes sure her freezing waters are for the brave and adventurous to dip into!
Day 4-6 The Abundance of Ganga
Ganga uses a Makara, crocodile, to navigate the sometimes treacherous waters, as her permanent chariot, becoming Makaravahini. Her descent from heaven, from the matted hairs of Lord Shiva, was the result of deep prayers by all beings for nurturing life. Her divinity, as one descended from heaven through Lord Vishnu's feet, is enshrined in her name as Mandakini. Her waves and ripples in the form of Tarangini cascade over the fertile land mingling with all waters of the planet as she merges into the ocean.
Day 7-9 The Wisdom of Ganga
Bhagiratha committed to severe penance to wash the wrongdoings of 60,000 of his ancestors. Ganga arrives for the benefit of humanity, as Bhagirathi, born of the ancient king's prayers. Her frequent naughtiness as a swift moving dynamo disturbed Sage Jahnu's penance and he trapped her within his body. Once again, the world prayed for her healing waters to emerge and Sage Jahnu recanted, releasing Ganga as his daughter, Jahnavi. Finally, her universal form, transcending all waters, is one of Sarvapapaharini, one who removes all wrongdoings.
These stories lead us to a deep reflection on our rivers and water bodies, that sustain life on Earth. As the rivers get polluted and dry up due to climate change, we need to harness, with complete urgency, our capacities to take care of our planetary home.
Our dream is to play and share this game to bring awareness to this major ecological landscape facing us. We hope to contribute with time, resources and support to organizations that do the hard work of preserving our waters for the health of the planet. Stay tuned for our activities ahead and join us in this endeavor.