Are You There/Kya Tum Ho Waha? is a hypertextual work collaboratively developed by Prakruti Bhatt and Deena Larsen. The objective of this project is for addressing the question of whether creating hypertexts like these can help in preserving and archiving shared knowledge as well as distinctive cultural specificities. Developing this work as a team points towards the future of collaborative writing exercises. We intend to replicate this writing process to encourage others who want to explore the creative realm of hypertext and electronic literature.

The narrative (which progresses as the reader clicks on each hyperlinked word on the screen) follows the protagonist (Sakhi)’s encounter with an AI chatbot that claims to be the incarnation of Krishna (the Hindu God and mythological figure who claimed to reincarnate at the peak of humanity’s moral downfall to restore balance and peace). Sakhi’s world is one where artificial intelligence is not only a tool for clerical and calculative jobs, but also a medium for people to vent out their thoughts and emotions during times of struggle. Further, the narrative also explores the fundamental conflict between passion and profession, faced not just by the protagonist but also any individual navigating through the various stages of life.