WHISPERS OF THE KONKAN GUARDIAN

Shreyas Vernekar | Jayesh Pillai

Synopsis: Rakhandar, the mythical protective spirit of the area, demonstrates a fascinating duality in his identity. He can be mischievous, unforgiving, or fiercely protective towards the region’s residents. This multifaceted nature adds depth and intrigue to the legends surrounding Rakhandar, making him an enigmatic figure in local folklore. By sharing these local stories on a broader platform, the project aims to preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage of the Konkan region while fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of its mythology and traditions.

Illustration of Rakhandar, based on photographs captured during Shigmotsav festival along with the project journey from ideation to execution

Background

The concept of a protective spirit responsible for cultural, ecological, and social preservation is widespread in and around the Konkan Region. However, very little is known about the accompanying culture and the coexistence of spirit gods. Numerous stories circulate about colossal spirits that generally patrol an area late at night, ensuring that there are no miscreants waiting to wreak havoc.

Research

Research work and scriptures

Primary Research

The primary research for this study involved firsthand accounts gathered through personal interactions with individuals who had either heard about Rakhandar or had direct experiences related to this fascinating entity. Additionally, visits were made to the Rakhandar shrines. Through these interactions and observations, a wide range of narratives surrounding Rakhandar worship were collected, encompassing both chilling and humorous anecdotes.

Secondary Reserach

The inclusion of audiovisual content, such as religious songs, horror stories, and narrated tales, has enriched our comprehension of how these stories are transmitted through spoken words.

Character Design

Character designs and textures

We’ve developed a gaming experience with multiple touchpoints, each featuring unique characters characterized by diverse dynamics and traits. Our emphasis on realism extends to the lifelike appearance of these characters, and we’ve crafted their clothing to mirror the conventional attire of the Konkan region.

Experience

Gameplay Screens

An interactive digital story centered around Rakhandar is brought to a broader audience through the character of a fourteen-year-old city dweller, Sarvesh, returning to his maternal village. The culture surrounding Rakhandar is revealed through multiple interactions with the village folk. These interactions contribute to an intriguing story that the user unravels as the narrative progresses. Players control Sarvesh in a third-person game view, allowing them to navigate the village, interact with different characters, hear their accounts of the spirit god Rakhandar, and engage with authentic Konkani elements such as a local alcohol distillery, Kaavi art, among others. This journey is designed to be quirky, sometimes mischievous, and to reflect the subtleties of Konkani community interdependencies and dynamics.

Technical Details

In-game onboarding elements to familiarise players with fundamental interactions

The gameplay design is executed in the Unity Engine, incorporating custom assets created in Blender and Character Creator for in-game characters. Using Unity’s built-in environment tool, a space was designed where the player can move around and visit different areas based on mission requirements. A companion character, Pranav, follows the main character, directing the player to the right places on the map. All in-game UI elements draw inspiration from Kaavi art, a mural form prevalent in the Konkan region, especially in the temples of Goa, coastal Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Currently, the game is optimized for the Windows platform, allowing character control through keyboard and mouse inputs.

Future Scope

To enhance player engagement the game can be further developed to incorporate more control over character conversations and branching narratives. Extra scope for exploration, hidden incentives, and easter eggs can be incorporated to polish this game further. Diverse tales from various regions of India, such as the captivating lore of Buta Kola from the Tulu Nadu region, popularized by the movie “Kantara,” and many other similar tales on the themes of protector spirit-gods, could be documented and re-imagined through games

Outcomes

This work and research was presented at IndiaHCI 2023.