Emerging Companies Capitalise on Mahakumbh 2025 Opportunity Worth Billion Dollars

Nitin Konde, Varun Bhardwaj

Jan 18, 2025 — 3 min read

Emerging Companies Tap Into Billion-Dollar Mahakumbh 2025 Opportunity

India, which is well-known for its rich religious traditions, rituals, and legacy, has seen a sharp increase in the number of spiritual tech businesses in recent years. Not to mention, the country's lucrative spiritual industry, which is predicted to expand at a CAGR of 10% until 2032 from $58.56 billion in 2023, has fanned the aspirations of the country's new-age businesses to enter this fray. An excellent illustration of this shift was seen last year with the consecration of the Ayodhya Temple, which not only boosted this sector but also caused spiritual tech entrepreneurs to rush to market with their products, resulting in double-digit growth.

Mahakumbh to Give Another Shot in the Arm For Spritual Startup Sector

The spiritual startup sector received a boost with the consecration of the Ayodhya Temple, but it is expected to receive another boost from this year's Mahakumbh, which is taking place in Prayagraj after a 12-year break. The Mahakumbh, which draws millions of pilgrims from all over the world, is a magnificent fusion of faith, culture, and tradition that ends on February 26. Approximately its 45-day span, the Mahakumbh Mela 2025 is expected to bring in approximately INR 2 Lakh Cr for Uttar Pradesh, according to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). Retail spending on necessities like food, housing, healthcare, and religious products is anticipated to account for about INR 17,310 Cr of this total. As a result, everyone has stepped up to claim their piece, from UPI titans like PhonePe and Paytm to food delivery companies like WAAYU and CHUK to spiritual tech platforms like Sri Mandir, VAMA, AppsForBharat, and Astrotalk.

Mahakumbh: The Startup Valley's New Eden

As digital platforms grow in popularity and the significance of customer engagement increases, marketers are using this occasion to communicate with their customers in a variety of creative ways. While established companies like Dabur, HUL, and P&G have partnered with eateries to advertise their goods, some of them have even placed their products in baby care centres and women's restrooms.

Paytm is providing more ease with payment alternatives, along with cashback and incentive programs, while PhonePe has introduced insurance for pilgrims and unique QR codes to streamline financial transactions. In the meantime, Park+, a clever parking management business, is using AI to assist pilgrims in reserving spaces in advance for their cars. Additionally, the business is assisting them with EV charging stations, 24/7 security, and payments supported by FASTag. According to Park+ founder and CEO Amit Lakhotia, the company's AI technologies will track parking fill rates, spot traffic jams, and guarantee smooth FASTag-enabled entry and exits.

Churning Opportunities for MSMEs

More than 50,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are benefiting from the Mahakumbh, which is helping to establish the festival as a major economic engine while also supporting local vendors and craftspeople. For example, Prashant Sachan founded the firm AppsForBharat, which has made spiritual trips available to everyone through its app, Sri Mandir.