The Mahakumbh 2025 has become more than the biggest spiritual congregation of pilgrims. With an estimated economic generation of ₹2 lakh crore, Mahakumbh 2025 is currently the favourite destination of FMCG giants.
The Mahakumbh is a 45-day-long religious congregation where millions of devotees gather to take a holy bath at the Triveni Sangam, the place where Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati meet.
The largest holy event of the year has brought immense growth opportunities to the business community. Big brands like Dabur, Coca-Cola and Dettol are formulating strategies to target the 400 million gathered in Uttar Pradesh.
Dabur
Dabur has seized this opportunity to establish and foster direct relationships with customers through social initiatives and sampling. The organisation is installing automatic toothpaste dispensers as part of its oral hygiene zones. Its hair care products Vatika and Dabur Amla intend to provide changing areas to the female pilgrims.
In addition to giving them immunity injections to protect them against diseases, the company will install special hair dryers and relaxation areas within these changing rooms. Dabur Lal Tail is setting up special Baby Care rooms.
In Mahakumbh 2025, the FMCG giant is partnering with dhabas and eateries for advertisement and sampling of products like Hajmola and Lavanbhaskar Churna.
Also read: A strong FMCG growth projection for 2025 results 17% surge in stocks.
Emami
Emami Ltd., a manufacturer of personal care and healthcare goods, is putting up a special booth to sample its famous BoroPlus antibacterial cream. The FMCG giant aims to provide samples of its products, like Zandu Chyavanprash (Jaggery), Zandu Ayurvedic Cough Syrup, and Zandu Nityam.
Emami is putting up many hoardings and a massive cutout of the well-known BoroPlus Antiseptic Cream to increase brand awareness. The corporation has also used branded guidance boards to guide devotees.
ITC Ltd.
ITC Limited manufactures agarbattis, or incense sticks, under the Mangaldeep brand. For the Maha Kumbh, ITC Mangaldeep has created an all-encompassing activation plan that combines off-ground and on-ground activities.
The brand will distribute Mangaldeep Jalbatti units, have a massive Hawan with Sambrani cups, and place advertisements at strategic locations, including arch gates, restrooms, and busy areas to interact personally with devotees in Mahakumbh 2025.
The FMCG giant is pioneering the use of technology by offering an augmented reality (AR) environment that enables pilgrims to virtually engage in essential Kumbh ceremonies such as Shahi Snaan and Aarti.
Banega Swasth India campaign by Dettol
A British FMCG giant called Reckitt is the owner of India’s most famous antiseptic, Dettol. The brand was launched in India in 1933.
The FMCG giant, with its iconic hygiene brand Dettol, is assisting over 15,000 sanitation personnel by offering training programs and making soaps available at Mahakumbh 2025. The organisation is also sending sanitation and healthcare volunteers across all 25 sections of the Kumbh to provide devotees with on-the-ground assistance and counsel as part of the ‘Dettol Banega Swasth India’ campaign.
Reliance
Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL) is the FMCG unit of Reliance Industries. The company is offering commodities to its customers, intending to improve their pilgrimage experience.
The corporation will supply crucial beverages to keep pilgrims hydrated and stimulated throughout their spiritual journey. Advertising signs and navigational boards are also being placed to help devotees traverse the wide span of the Mahakumbh 2025 seamlessly.
The FMCG giant would provide ‘aaram sthal’ (resting spaces) for pilgrims to unwind during their prolonged pilgrimage.
Fizzy drinks and chips
Food brands are making interesting strides to make the best of growth opportunities poised by Mahakumbh 2025.
- Bingo
The FMCG giant ITC owns the snacks brand Bingo. The brand’s activity booth will showcase Uttar Pradesh’s local culture through activities like generating reels based on popular tunes incorporating traditional props and serving fusion cuisine.
Apart from setting up retail outlets at the grounds of Mahakumbh 2025, the company has crafted unique packaging to celebrate the festival. The company has issued its social initiative called Maidaan Saaf to promote environmental protection through recycling rather than discarding plastic bottles.
- PepsiCo
The FMCG giant presented its Mountain Dew and Sting products at Kumbh. It has built a 30-foot-tall lighted Mountain Dew bottle to improve navigation and exposure. It has also installed more than 500 charging ports under its brand Sting.
Blinkit
Blinkit is a quick-commerce application that has given substantial visibility to various FMCG brands in Mahakumbh 2025. It has erected a temporary 100-square-foot outlet in the Mahakumbh 2025 area to cater to the demands of tourists. The store provides a uniquely curated selection of essential items for Maha Kumbh visitors. The curation comprises puja essentials, blankets, Sangam water and much more.
Stock Comparison
The table below shows the stock performance of some FMCG giants who have captured headlines in the rural market.
| Name | P/E | Mar Cap (₹ Cr.) | Div Yield (%) | NP Qtr (₹ Cr.) | Sales Qtr (₹ Cr.) | ROCE (%) |
| Reliance Industries Ltd | 24.99 | 1729507.91 | 0.39 | 21930.00 | 239986.00 | 9.61 |
| ITC Ltd. | 26.63 | 547199.48 | 3.15 | 5054.43 | 20735.87 | 37.47 |
| Dabur India Ltd. | 52.47 | 92319.88 | 1.06 | 417.52 | 3028.59 | 22.28 |
| Emami Ltd. | 31.63 | 24424.27 | 1.43 | 210.99 | 890.59 | 31.72 |
Stock performance as of 22.01.2025
Also read: List of FMCG Stocks in India 2025.
Conclusion
Success in rural markets is largely dependent on the positioning and promotion of a brand. The likelihood that a product will succeed in rural areas increases with the level of strategic attention paid to a particular need. The Mahakumbh 2025 has provided the FMCG giants with a golden opportunity to grow and create a personal relationship with their target audience. Given the recent sluggish quarterly performance of the FMCG industry, the brands seem to be trying their best to bridge the gaps in the market.
Also read: Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Sector- A Safe Haven in Bear Markets?
