Krida Dharohar

From Play to Philosophy 

Games are a cultural necessity besides aiding in building bodies, training minds and binding communities. Through play, society rehearsed its values and individuals found joy in harmony with dharma. Games had multiple roles – physical, social, educational and philosophical. Physical games were racing with animals or boats, and wrestling that ensured a strong build and muscle power. Socially, games like dice and cards fostered bonding within families and communities. Games trained the body, sharpened strategy and foresight, especially in board games. Dice reminded players of life’s uncertainty and the role of dharma. Culturally, games were associated with festivals, mythology, and daily life. Philosophically, krida is seen as divine play, like Krishna’s līlā symbolising the cosmic game, or God creating the entire universe as a play. This webinar will discuss a few of the outdoor games like racing, indoor board games like Chaturanga, Snakes and Ladders, and their philosophical significance.

Webinar Highlights

• Games as Culture & Dharma
• Games that shaped Life
• Games as Symbols of Cosmic Truths – Life’s Uncertainty, the Joy of Creation, and the Divine Play of the Universe

Schedule & Details

Dates: 7 to 9 November 2025
Time: Everyday, 7:15 to 8:15 PM IST
Language: English
Webinar Fees: Free
Mode: Online via Zoom

Webinar Format

• 3 Online sessions
• The sessions will be streamed on Zoom. Those who miss the online session can listen to the recordings available in the dashboard.
• Recordings will be available in the dashboard for a period of 6 months post the completion of the webinar.

Prerequisite

• Availability of a computer with audio -video internet conferencing facility.
• Prior study of Bhagavad Gītā and a few upaniṣad-s is helpful.
• Access to Zoom

Referral Book

The study material will be shared in PDF format.

Facilitators

Prof. Gauri Mahulikar

Prof. Gauri Mahulikar is the Academic Director at CIF. As the Gurudev Tagore Chair of Comparative Literature Professor, she headed the Department of Sanskrit at the University of Mumbai. She also served as a former Dean of Faculty at Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth.

To know more about Prof. Gauri Mahulikar, please Gauri Mahulikar.

Prof. Dr. Siddharth Y. Wakankar

Prof. Dr. Siddharth Y. Wakankar is a retired Deputy Director of the Oriental Institute, Baroda (2009), former Professor at the Centre for Ancient History and Culture, Jain University, Bangalore (2011–2013), and Visiting Professor at IIT Gandhinagar (2013–2015). With over 48 years of research on rare and unpublished Sanskrit manuscripts, he has authored 12 books and 110 research papers on subjects including Kavya, Nataka, Dietetics, Architecture, Ashvashastra, and Gajashastra. He is internationally recognized for pioneering studies on games in Sanskrit literature, particularly chess, playing cards (Ganjipha), and snakes and ladders (Mokshapata), and remains the only Indian scholar in this field, with his work cited globally. He has chaired numerous national and international conferences in India and Germany and is a recipient of prestigious awards such as the International Ramakrishna Sanskrit Award, Canada (2001), and the Ogeti Achyutaram Shastri Award, Hyderabad (2006).

Contact Details

For further information or clarification
Contact: +91 92077 11467
Email: cifwebinars@chinfo.org