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Journalism of Courage
Soft chatter spreads throughout the Whiz Cafe in Greater Kailash as one opens the door, interspersed with the sounds of dice rolls and celebratory high fives. Mismatched groups cluster around five tables, each with their heads hunched over, paying the utmost attention to what has been placed across. A closer look at a table reveals what has got them hooked – an almost two-hour-long round of Catan, a tabletop game where players have to establish settlements on a fictional land. We are with the Board Gamers of Delhi.
Every Sunday from 3-10 pm, club members, from across Delhi-NCR, congregate at Whiz Cafe, with more than a thousand board games. There is no cover charge to use the cafe, though many order food while playing. Participants split into groups depending on their game of choice — ranging from casual party games like Codenames, which involves guessing words with teammates, to high-stakes strategy games such as Pipeline, where players have to collect resources to lay down pipelines to earn the most money.
“We have games from every corner of the world,” says Brijesh Prasad (32) who took the initiative to unite the board gaming community in July 2021. They started with a small group of friends and 70 board games, but the club has expanded to include more than 2,000 members on Facebook with 40-50 people showing up every week.
“A lot of games are rare finds, such as this strategy game called Chai Garam made in Bangalore, where players have to earn ingredients to make chai. Anyone who wants to join can find something that suits their interests, whether they are a complete beginner or a board game enthusiast,” says Prasad.
A cheer comes from a table, signalling an end to their game, and they make their way to the stacked pile of board games to find something new. Prasad helps them decide between games — Spirit Island, where players defend their islands from invaders, and Lakshadweep, which involves players ‘building’ their own islands. He flits around from group to group, acting as the host and answering questions. While some members bring their own games, most decide by choosing from Prasad’s wide collection. He provides an online catalogue of board games on the group’s Facebook page.
“As a neurodivergent person with a disability, board games have given me a lot – an engaging hobby, friends and community, and personal development,” says Swati Agarwal (35), a longtime member of the club. “I was always different growing up, and as an adult, I was bored of everything revolving around screens. Through this club, I have found a fun activity and a welcoming community.”
The Sunday meetups last all day and are the best time for newcomers to come in and get a taste of what the group has to offer. Joining the club is free of cost, with no expectations for commitment beyond finishing the games one starts.
Smaller subgroups additionally meet up in Gurgaon and Noida throughout the week, often hosted at a members’ house.
“The reason I started coming here is because I wanted to make friends,” shares a 34-year-old new member, who wishes to remain anonymous. “Playing a board game with someone you don’t know is the best icebreaker since no one is worried about small talk,” the member said.
For more information about the Board Gamers of Delhi, reach out to Brijesh Prasad at +91 9958819699
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