This unique board game helps you learn more about Mumbai's hip-hop culture

Cards from the set

Tejas Mali, a 22-year-old student at the Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture in Juhu has left the city's best rapping talent at a loss of words, quite literally. We don't blame the wordsmiths. The boardgame, created as part of Mali's fifth year thesis, tests players' knack for quick, impromptu rhymes based on typical Bambaiyya slang. But these aren't empty words - Mali is taking notes from the gameplay to build bigger plans.

A native of Buldhana district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, Mali moved to Mumbai in 2019 to answer his calling in design and architecture. His passion for hip-hop and rap followed him, not far behind. "I was mesmerised by Mumbai's hip-hop scene. I spent time visiting hip-hop communities in Marol, Andheri and Dharavi to study architecture through the lens of hip-hop," he recalls. Titled Decoding Hip-hop Architecture, the thesis is a wider exploration of spaces for artistic expression in the city.

The board game comes with a handy beginner's guide

To decode Mumbai, one must first learn the complex code that the city runs fluently on. Katta, khopcha, tapri, rada, and many more Bambaiyya slang lexicon that might leave outsiders baffled, find place in the cards of the board game. "I categorised these cards into movement, condition, language, and technique. For instance, katta is a place, while rada [scuffle] is a condition that might transpire at a katta. As a game of Cyphermania unfolds, participants pick up different combinations of these word cards. The task is to build a rhyme around these words and make progress on the board," Mali explains.

Last week, the researcher set out for a test drive of the board game, beginning with what is inarguably the epicenter of the hip-hop revolution in the city - Dharavi. "The young rappers at The Dharavi Dream Project were intrigued by the game. I was surprised by how well it worked with children as young as 10 years old. They took some warming up, but once they got a hang of it, they had a field day," Mali laughs.

Cards from the collection feature words such as basti and maja

While the players rap their way to victory, Mali is watching his repository of actionable data grow. "I am keeping my ears open to understand how people in different communities think and form rhymes about their experiences given the same cards. Subconsciously, they are voicing their needs and wants. The game is essentially my research methodology," he reveals, adding, "The second part of my thesis involves conceptualising a physical space in the city. These observations will help me chart out a blueprint."

Tejas Mali

If you spot a new pop-up space splashed with graffiti near Capital Mall in Nalasopara any time soon, it means Mali's vision has come true. "The mall is a high footfall area, and the far-off suburb is slowly becoming a new hub for hip-hop. A community space beside the mall where outsiders can catch a glimpse of what is simmering under the covers will help the community grow," he notes.

Moments from the community board game session in Dharavi

For now, Mali is juggling paperwork to patent the board game and planning visits to more communities across the city to play and learn. Community spaces and organisations interested in hosting a session can reach out to the student to slot playtime. Now that we have unveiled what the game entails, you'd better be ready for what's on the cards.

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