Shloka: When Faith Meets Climate Action
Play Shloka Now at https://siddu1998.github.io/Shloka/TL;DR
The Problem
While many climate change games exist, most fail to integrate cultural relevance, neglecting to use culturally specific narratives or frameworks that could significantly boost climate awareness.
- Generic messaging doesn't resonate culturally
- Global-centric solutions ignore local contexts
- Cultural values that could motivate climate action remain untapped
My Approach
3-month ethnographic study with participatory design in Hindu communities.
- Fieldwork at 2 major pilgrimage sites
- 412 photos, 43 videos documenting climate-religion intersection
- Co-design with religious scholars for authenticity
The Solution
Shloka - First climate game integrating authentic Hindu rituals with environmental education.
- Real ritual interactions (mudras, mantras, breathing)
- Deities as mentors teaching climate science
- Localized climate impacts on sacred spaces
Key Results
Comparative study with 24 participants testing 10 climate games.
- 87% higher immersion than traditional games
- 84% better guidance scores
- Players reframed climate action as "sacred duty"
Design Takeaways
- Cultural Authenticity Over Aesthetics
- Values-Based Motivation Over Feature-Based Persuasion
- Localized Relevance Over Universal Impact
- Embodied Interaction leads to Cognitive Processing
- Mentorship-Based Guidance Over System-Based Instruction
The Core Problem
Traditional climate change games adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that ignores the rich cultural contexts that actually motivate human behavior. They present generic solutions that feel abstract and irrelevant to people whose environmental values are deeply rooted in tradition.
My Challenge
How might we create climate education experiences that honor users' cultural identities while effectively communicating environmental science and inspiring action?
Research Strategy: Going Beyond Surface-Level Understanding
Defining the Research Questions
After extensive literature review, I identified a critical gap: while researchers had studied religion and climate change from theological perspectives, no one had deeply explored how to integrate authentic religious practices into interactive climate education.
Research Questions
RQ1: How does the integration of religious rituals and narratives in a serious game enhance players' reflection and interest in climate change?
RQ2: How does this integration influence engagement and player experience?
Phase 1: Ethnographic Discovery - Understanding Sacred Spaces
The Journey to Sacred Sites
Rather than relying on secondary sources, I conducted ethnographic fieldwork at two of India's most significant pilgrimage sites: Tirumala and Sabarimala.
Why These Sites?
- Scale: Tirumala receives 50,000+ visitors daily, Sabarimala hosts 40+ million pilgrims annually
- Environmental Context: Both are located in ecologically sensitive mountain regions
- Climate Vulnerability: Both face direct climate change impacts
- Active Environmental Initiatives: Both temple authorities have implemented climate action programs
Research Methodology
Visual Ethnography
412 photographs, 43 videos documenting rituals, environmental practices, and climate impacts
Participant Observation
I participated in pilgrimages, rituals, and community practices as a practicing Hindu
Field Sketching
In areas where photography was restricted, I documented observations through detailed sketches
Informal Interviews
Conversations with pilgrims, temple staff, and local community members during natural interactions
Key Discoveries
Discovery 1: Nature as Living Deities
I observed consistent personification of natural elements—not just as symbols, but as active spiritual beings requiring respect and care. Rivers weren't just water sources; they were goddesses. Mountains weren't just landscapes; they were divine manifestations requiring protection.
Discovery 2: Climate Change as Religious Crisis
Climate impacts weren't just environmental problems—they were spiritual crises disrupting sacred practices. Heavy rains and landslides prevented devotees from reaching temples, seen as barriers to spiritual fulfillment.
Discovery 3: Environmental Action as Religious Duty
Temple authorities weren't promoting environmental protection for secular reasons—they were framing it as religious obligation. Signs reading "This forest is the abode of the deity—it is your duty to protect it" were common.
Phase 2: Co-Design & Cultural Navigation
The Sensitivity Challenge
Moving from ethnographic insights to game design required navigating complex cultural sensitivities. My initial prototypes faced significant pushback from religious scholars—teaching me that good intentions aren't enough when working with sacred content.
Initial Design Failure: The God-Player Problem
First Prototype Concept: Players would control Hindu deities directly, using their powers to combat pollution and climate change.
Community Feedback: "This is problematic. Gods are omnipotent—they don't need to 'level up' or become more powerful. Allowing players to control deities could be seen as disrespectful."
Key Learning: Representation isn't just about inclusion—it's about theological accuracy and cultural respect.
Design Iteration: From Control to Collaboration
Revised Approach
Instead of controlling deities, players embody "Shloka"—a chosen child who receives guidance and powers from climate deities through ritual practice.
Why This Worked:
- Maintained Divine Agency: Gods remain omnipotent mentors
- Preserved Ritual Meaning: Players perform real ritual actions
- Created Authentic Narrative: Aligned with Hindu concepts of divine grace
Technical Innovation: Digitizing Sacred Practices
Mudra Recognition System
Used Google Teachable Machine to create computer vision models trained on 500+ images of correct mudra formations, achieving 92% accuracy in gesture recognition.
Chanting Recognition
Integrated OpenAI Whisper for speech recognition with pronunciation guides and rhythm detection for proper Sanskrit mantra pronunciation.
Breathing Detection
Microphone-based system captures breathing patterns and provides visual feedback to guide users through traditional Pranayama techniques.
Fire Worship Recognition
Computer vision detects light sources and tracks circular motion patterns for proper Arati ceremony performance.
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Phase 3: Rigorous Evaluation - Measuring Cultural Resonance
Comparative Study Design
To validate Shloka's effectiveness, I designed a comprehensive comparative study against existing climate games. This wasn't just about proving our game was better—it was about understanding what specific elements of cultural integration drive engagement.
Study Protocol
Opening Interview (20 min)
Climate attitudes and gaming background assessment
Game Rotation (2 hours)
10 games in randomized order using Latin Square design
Post-Game Surveys (10 min per game)
Immediate reactions and standardized ratings
Neutral Reset (3 min per game)
Standardized video to clear mental palate between games
Closing Interview (30 min)
Comparative reflections and deeper insights
Key Qualitative Insights
Through thematic analysis of 14 in-depth interviews, three major themes emerged:
Climate Ethics Through Religious Lens
Players reframed environmental responsibility from civic duty to sacred obligation.
Relating to Climate Consequences
Localized climate scenarios affecting familiar sacred places created emotional urgency that abstract global impacts couldn't match.
Motivation Through Granular Climate Actions
Culturally-specific, achievable actions felt more motivating than generic environmental advice.
Design Principles Discovered
Through this research, I identified five key principles for culturally-responsive UX design:
1. Cultural Authenticity Over Cultural Aesthetics
Surface-level cultural elements don't create engagement—authentic cultural practices and values do. Shloka's authentic ritual interactions created 87% higher immersion than culturally-themed but mechanically-generic games.
2. Values-Based Motivation Over Feature-Based Persuasion
Connect new behaviors to existing moral frameworks rather than creating new value systems. Participants reframed climate action as religious duty using existing concepts.
3. Localized Relevance Over Universal Impact
Personal/local consequences motivate more than global/abstract impacts. Participants showed higher emotional engagement with threats to familiar temples than global climate statistics.
4. Embodied Interaction Over Cognitive Processing
Physical/ritual interactions create deeper engagement than purely mental tasks. Ritual performance created "dual achievement" - cultural accomplishment plus learning goal.
5. Mentorship-Based Guidance Over System-Based Instruction
Guidance from culturally-respected figures feels more supportive than system tutorials. Deity mentors scored 84% higher on "guidance" than traditional tutorial systems.
Impact & Professional Growth
Academic Impact
- ACM DIS 2025 - Full Paper and Best Paper (Top-tier HCI Conference)
- ACM CHI PLAY 2024 - WiP paper
Real-World Application
- Temple Education Programs: 5 temples piloting Shloka for youth climate education
- Academic Curriculum: Framework adopted in 2 game design courses
- Open Source Release: Code and design documents available for community adaptation
Conclusion
The Shloka project demonstrated that culturally-responsive design isn't just about representation—it's about understanding and integrating the deep cultural practices and values that drive human behavior. By moving beyond surface-level aesthetics to authentic cultural integration, we created an experience that resonated deeply with users and motivated genuine climate engagement.
This work provides a framework for how UX practitioners can approach culturally-sensitive design challenges across domains, emphasizing the importance of collaborative inquiry, authentic representation, and values-based motivation in creating meaningful user experiences.