Sacred waters and rituals: How startups are cashing in on the virtual Kumbh rush

Sri Mandir is one of several startups transforming the way people engage with this grand spiritual event. By offering innovative products and services such as bottled Ganga water, live-streamed aartis, and personalized pujas, these companies are turning virtual devotion into a thriving business.

Their products are tailored to cater to the needs of the absentee devotee, bridging the gap between virtual and physical participation at the largest spiritual congregation of Hindus, which began on 13 January.

“My mom used to ask people visiting Kumbh to get Ganga jal (water) for us and sprinkle it on the water in a bucket at home. It’s fine we haven’t been able to visit, but we can do it here, she would say. That’s where the idea came in,” says Prashant Sachan, founder & CEO, Sri Mandir

While the company is offering services for personalized puja offerings at Triveni Sangam, and Maha Daan services, among others, its star product is Triveni Sangam Jal (sacred water), priced at ₹251 per 100 ml bottle.

This initiative has seen immense demand with 25,000 bottles already ordered in the last 10 days, according to Sachan. Interestingly, 45% of the demand has come from people under 35 years, according to the founder.

Another startup, Astroyogi, also offers Triveni Sangam Jal and prashad (offering), sourced directly from Maha Kumbh. The company has been selling about 500 bottles a day across the country.

The platform offers live streaming of key events, including the Maha Kumbh aarti, and facilitates virtual puja services.

Over 50% of people watching the aarti are Gen Z, according to Aditya Kapoor, co founder and COO, Astroyogi.

Spiritual-tech startup Utsav is also seeing a surge in demand for its bottled Ganga water. “99% of the 6,000 people who availed our services so far have added at least one bottle of Ganga jal to their cart,” said Sourajit Basu, founder and CEO of the India Quotient-backed company.

“Many people want to offer pitru tarpan (honouring deceased ancestors by offering them water). We facilitate it through our pandits (priests) at Kumbh. Others want to perform Ganga Abhishek (a ritual for Lord Shiva) for their family members as well as offer small items like diyas (lamps)… we are enabling that as well,” Basu added.

Also Read: Inside the big, fat $30 billion Maha Kumbh economy

Behind the scene

Sachan said managing operations for such a vast audience required four months of preparation. “We’ve developed a robust system, supported by our on-ground team’s continuous effort, to procure Sangam water directly from Prayagraj while ensuring it reaches devotees in its purest form and sanctity,” he said. A dedicated team of over 10 employees is stationed on the ground in Prayagraj oversees these operations.

“We have tied up with a vendor who goes on the boat to the middle of the river and gets water from the confluence of rivers Ganga and Yamuna. We have our team on ground, which monitors the process for quality checks,” Sachan said, explaining the procurement process.

Sri Mandir records a video of the procurement of the water along with bottles. Interestingly, there is no official body validating the authenticity of these products.

Utsav’s Basu said his company has deployed five full-time priests and 15 part-time helpers to manage packaging and shipping of sacred water during the event.

“Our on-ground team in Prayagraj is working closely with our remote team to ensure a seamless user experience, managing everything from live streaming to offerings and puja services,” Kapoor of Astroyogi said.

Also Read: Maha Kumbh Mela a godsend for travel industry as spiritual tourism takes wing

Not just an event

Sahil Chopra, vice-president of Growth & Marketing at Inflection Point Ventures, said that these innovative efforts by the startups not only address logistical and spiritual challenges faced by devotees but also elevate the platform’s brand visibility, create market differentiation, and solidify startups’ positions in highly competitive sectors.

“Startups may gain greatly from this economic activity by increasing user acquisition, transaction volumes, and strategic collaborations. Fintech platforms, logistics companies, and service-oriented firms that provide digital payments, necessities delivery, and religious services are well positioned to benefit from this surge,” he added.

The size of the event assures not just significant short-term revenue increase, but also lays the groundwork for long-term client involvement and market expansion.

Platforms like Sri Mandir are already expanding their reach into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, where the Maha Kumbh holds deep cultural and spiritual significance.

Also Read: Prayagraj Maha Kumbh 2025: The ultimate confluence of bhakti and brands

Sachan anticipates a 40–50% increase in app downloads and up to 5 lakh new users joining the platform during this period. “While demand may be scattered, we may continue this even after Kumbh,” he said.

For Kapoor of Astroyogi, the Kumbh is not just an event but a movement that connects it with diverse audiences and enhances brand presence.

India’s religious and spiritual market size reached $59.7 billion in 2023 and is expected to exhibit a compound annual growth rate of 8.82% during 2024-2032, according to a report by the IMARC group.

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