MokshaTrek, a board game reimagines the ancient Snakes and Ladders game into a fun, meaningful experience  

“Mokshapatam is the original Indian board game from which the world knows Snakes and Ladders,” describes Falguni Gokhale, a Pune-based graphic designer and illustrator. Created by the 13th century saint and philosopher Sant Dnyaneshwar, it was not just a pastime, a map of life, where ladders represented virtues while snakes symbolised vices. The goal, however, was to help people reflect on choices and guide them towards building lasting values. “It was a game for everyone, adult and children alike,” she says adding that a few years ago, she was fascinated by this game while researching for an art project. Falguni studied communication and graphic design at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, before setting up her design studio, Design Directions in Pune along with her husband, Satish Gokhale.

While the spirit of the game stayed on in her mind, she wanted to give it a modern design edge that appealed to today’s families. She found the answer in Moksha Trek, a board game that makes families and friends sit together, laugh, and reflect. “This is a passion project for me. My friends Hemant Karandikar, who brainstormed for the right words on the board and also wrote the meanings of the word, and Darshana Bhalgat who helped in conducting playing sessions with people, helped make the game sharper, fun and more relevant.”

MokshaTrek game
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Special Arrangement

The game can be played alone, with two players, or in a group. It follows the familiar style of snakes and ladders on the board, but Falguni has added another layer through special squares which encourages pause. Each square carries prompts that spark conversation, about choices, consequences, and values. “When families and friends play the game, they laugh, and can also talk about choices, values, life. Schools can use such games to teach not just morals but emotional intelligence. Learning through play creates memory; it stays longer because it is felt, not forced. A platform where values are not taught as lessons but discovered through play.”

While children can approach it with imagination and play the game enjoying the basic movement of dice across the board, adults can join in and guide them on the consequences of the actions. A QR code on the board leads them to a website where they can explore the meanings of the words on the board.

She believes that the game is an invitation to sit together, and reflect. “We often import games and toys from outside. India has a treasure house of wisdom woven into playful forms. MokshaTrek is my attempt to revive a tiny part of that heritage making it relevant, beautiful, and enjoyable again. It is about reimagining our roots for today’s generation,” she explains.

The original Mokshapatam game
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Special Arrangement

While her design work across varied fields fetched her many awards, the joy of problem solving through thoughtful designs also led her to write and illustrate children’s books. “I have created a series called Books to Inspire. Much like the game that I designed, the book series grew out of curiosity and a desire to create something meaningful. The books and the game are extensions of what I have always loved — using design to inspire reflection, play, and imagination.”

Falguni’s illustration from her children’s book series
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Special Arrangement

Reflecting upon her MokshaTrek journey, Falguni says, every element, the lotus squares, illustrated ladders and snakes, and the rule sheet is designed with care, so that opening the box itself feels like stepping into a journey. “ Games shape imagination, values, and conversations. Games like Mokshapatam were not passive entertainment. They were designed to make people think, to laugh together, to learn from one another. Because they carry the soul of our culture,” she says, adding, “In a time when we are surrounded by fast, digital distractions, such games slow us down, bring people face-to-face, and reconnect us with timeless wisdom.”

To buy the game, email mokshatrek@gmail.com or call 09356838374