A new Chennai-based gaming start-up, Chittam that focuses on games inspired by Indian mythology and epics and Indic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, recently released five games, Bharata Vilas, Sarathi, Suprabatham, Neivedya and Bommalattam.

According to India Narritive, the firm’s founder, Charanya Kumar, claimed that the toys and games teach children in a relatable way about Indian culture and legends through engaging activities. To encourage interaction between the young and old, they have been made interesting not only for children but also for parents and grandparents.

According to Kumar, The concept of these games naturally occurred to her. For instance, Bharata Vilas is a rummy game designed to bring India together via stories, while Sarathi is an activity book based on Lord Krishna. A kit for puppetry, bommalattam is a form of folk art.

Her four-year-old daughter, who enjoyed playing make-believe with non-Indian foods, inspired the creation of Neivedya. In this game, there is a character named Gatotkacha, and to feed him, boondis must be crumbled to form a ladoo. It teaches the players the concept of offering to Gods.

Children are introduced to 60 Indian personalities from various disciplines through the card game Suprabatham. The first book has already been released, and work is currently being done on the second. Vishaka Hari, an exponent of the Harikatha, is one of the specialists that Kumar consults for designs and tales.

In the upcoming months, Chittam will release two new products: Mozhi, a bilingual game that can be played in either Tamil or English and encourages language learning, and an activity book designed to help kids learn more about their family, culture, and homeland.

The government has also revealed its plans to focus on these new startups based on integrating Indian epic and culture in games. A task force for the AVGC sector submitted their list of recommendations to the I&B Ministry for further expansion of the sector.