How brands are blending tech with tradition this Ganesh Chaturthi 2025
From VR darshans of Lalbaugcha Raja to eco-friendly idols and interactive digital campaigns, here’s a look at how technology is shaping this year’s celebrations.
Ganesh Chaturthi, one of India’s most beloved festivals, is celebrated with grandeur, devotion, and creativity by millions. Traditionally marked by music, dance, modaks, and vibrant pandals, the festival has also evolved with the times, embracing sustainability and now, technology.
In 2025, small and medium brands across India are reimagining the way devotees celebrate by weaving digital innovation into age-old traditions. From virtual reality darshans of the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja andAI-powered kiosks guiding visitors, to QR-enabled pujas and eco-friendly clay idols with seed-planting potential, technology is making the celebrations more accessible, engaging, and environmentally conscious.
Here’s how brands are adding a modern, tech-powered twist to Ganesh Chaturthi in 2025.
Pulse Candy
Pulse Candy, a hard-boiled confectionery by Dharampal Satyapal (DS) Group, is known for its distinctive tangy flavours with a spiced core, first launched in raw mango and later expanded to guava, orange, litchi, pineapple, and tamarind.
For Ganesh Chaturthi 2025, the brand has introduced AI-driven experiences at major pandals, such as Lalbaugcha Raja in Mumbai, where devotees can generate personalised digital images of Ganesha incorporating Pulse motifs, displayed on large screens.
Other initiatives include a Ganesh idol crafted from Pulse candies and the redistribution of these candies to underprivileged children after the festival, combining cultural participation with community engagement.
Shriram Finance
Shriram Finance, one of India’s largest retail NBFCs and part of the Shriram Group, is introducing a ‘Digital Diya’ initiative for Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 at Mumbai’s Lalbaugcha Raja pandal. Devotees can scan a QR code to light a virtual diya, choose a lamp colour, and see their names displayed on a large LED screen.
The initiative blends tradition with technology, offering an interactive way for visitors to participate in the festivities while accommodating large crowds and enabling inclusive participation.
Birla Opus Paints
Birla Opus Paints, launched in 2024 under Grasim Industries of the Aditya Birla Group, offers a wide range of decorative paint solutions, including interior and exterior paints, waterproofing, enamels, wood finishes, and wall coverings, supported by six manufacturing plants and a distribution network covering over 6,600 towns.
For Ganesh Chaturthi 2025, Birla Opus is marking its presence through a digital film under the ‘Duniya Ko Rang Do’ campaign, narrating the story of a young boy bringing Lord Ganesha home for the first time and emphasising the role of home decoration in festival traditions. The campaign, released across platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, reflects the company’s approach of combining cultural narratives with digital engagement.
ITC Limited
ITC Limited has evolved from its origins in tobacco into one of India’s leading conglomerates with businesses spanning FMCG, hotels, paperboards and packaging, agribusiness, and information technology. Its portfolio includes staples under Aashirvaad, Sunfeast biscuits and noodles, Bingo! snacks, and a range of personal care products, while it continues to hold a strong position globally in tobacco.
For Ganesh Chaturthi 2025, ITC’s Aashirvaad Soul Creations has introduced the ‘BappaKiTayyari’ campaign, which uses QR codes on delivery bags to provide WhatsApp-enabled aarti booklets in Hindi and English, offering devotees convenient access to verses and festive content.
Lalbaug360
Lalbaug360, launched in 2016, is a Mumbai-based virtual reality platform developed by AlterNet in collaboration with VR Creatives and Chapter 3 to provide 360-degree coverage of the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities at the Lalbaugcha Raja pandal. It offers live and on-demand darshan, allowing devotees to experience rituals remotely through VR headsets or digital devices, with features that enable navigation of the pandal environment virtually.
The initiative, rooted in Mumbai’s cultural setting, was designed to make the festival more accessible for those unable to visit in person due to distance or crowding. In 2025, Lalbaug360 continues to be part of the festival’s broader technology-driven innovations, which include AI kiosks, digital booking, and eco-friendly practices, reinforcing its role in integrating traditional celebrations with digital accessibility.
Swiggy Instamart
Swiggy Instamart introduced a ‘Modak Vending Innovation’ during Ganesh Chaturthi 2024, with installations such as one at Carter Road in Mumbai, and is expected to continue in 2025.
The dispenser, activated by ringing a bell, provides around 1,000 hygienically packed modaks daily, each box carrying a QR code linking to Swiggy’s festive section offering pooja items, modak kits, flavoured modaks, and eco-friendly idols.
Blending tradition with technology, the initiative combines on-ground festive engagement with digital access to festival essentials, supported by media partners including Havas Media and Havas Media Tribes.
Edited by Jyoti Narayan