Snake and Ladder, a game with origins in India, was originally known as
Moksha Patam, Parama Padam, or Mokshapat. It served as an educational
tool to impart Hinduism and its values to children. The game's creation
is often attributed to the 13th-century poet saint Gyandev, though some
references suggest it dates back to the 2nd century CE.
In the original version of the game, the ladders symbolized virtues,
while the snakes represented vices. Specific squares were designated to
represent different moral attributes: square 12 for faith, 51 for
reliability, 57 for generosity, 76 for knowledge, and 78 for
asceticism—all hosting ladders. Conversely, squares 41, 44, 49, 52, 58,
62, 69, 73, 84, 92, 95, and 99 featured snakes, symbolizing
disobedience, arrogance, vulgarity, theft, lying, drunkenness, debt,
murder, anger, greed, pride, and lust, respectively. The ultimate goal
was to reach square 100, which represented Nirvana or Moksha, signifying
liberation from the cycle of rebirth and attainment of spiritual
enlightenment.
In the original version of the game, the ladders symbolized virtues,
while the snakes represented vices. Specific squares were designated to
represent different moral attributes: square 12 for faith, 51 for
reliability, 57 for generosity, 76 for knowledge, and 78 for
asceticism—all hosting ladders. Conversely, squares 41, 44, 49, 52, 58,
62, 69, 73, 84, 92, 95, and 99 featured snakes, symbolizing
disobedience, arrogance, vulgarity, theft, lying, drunkenness, debt,
murder, anger, greed, pride, and lust, respectively. The ultimate goal
was to reach square 100, which represented Nirvana or Moksha, signifying
liberation from the cycle of rebirth and attainment of spiritual
enlightenment. 
The game was introduced to England by the British in 1892,
where it was renamed Snakes and Ladders and modified to reflect Victorian moral
values.