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<keyword id="19896515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Durga-Puja" source="keywords">Durga Puja</keyword>, one of the most revered Hindu festivals, celebrates Goddess Durga's victory over the demon Mahishasura, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. This grand festival, also known as <keyword id="23483677" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Durgotsav" source="keywords">Durgotsav</keyword>, will commence on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, and conclude on October 12, 2024. Beyond its deep religious significance, Durga Puja unites millions of devotees, especially in India, fostering a sense of spiritual and cultural unity. Here are some heartfelt wishes and greetings to share with your loved ones during this joyous celebration. <h2>30 <keyword id="5037038" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Durga-Puja-wishes" source="Orion">Durga Puja Wishes</keyword></h2><ul><li>Wishing you a Durga Puja filled with joy, devotion, and the blessings of <keyword id="19968294" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maa-Durga" source="keywords">Maa Durga</keyword>. Happy Durgotsav! </li><li>May Goddess Durga shower her blessings on you and your family and fill your life with happiness and prosperity. Shubho Durga Puja! </li><li>Wishing you strength, courage, and immense happiness on this auspicious Durga Puja. May Maa Durga guide you always! </li><li>May this Durga Puja bring peace, prosperity, and joy into your life. Happy Puja! </li><li>May the divine blessings of Maa Durga protect you and your family from all evils. Shubho Sharodiya! </li><li>Let’s celebrate the triumph of good over evil and fill our hearts with hope and positivity. Happy Durga Puja! </li><li>May Maa Durga bless your home with joy and remove all obstacles from your path. Shubho Puja! </li><li>Wishing you the energy of Maa Durga, the wisdom of Goddess Saraswati, and the prosperity of Maa Lakshmi. Happy Durga Puja! </li><li>May your life be as vibrant and joyous as the festivities of Durga Puja. Shubho Durga Puja! </li><li>May this Puja strengthen your faith and bring renewed hope into your life. Happy Durga Puja! </li><li>May the divine energy of Goddess Durga flow through your life, giving you strength and courage. Shubho Mahalaya! </li><li>Wishing you a joyous Durga Puja filled with the sound of dhaak, fragrance of flowers, and divine blessings. </li><li>May Maa Durga bless you with wisdom, good health, and endless happiness. Shubho Bijoya Dashami! </li><li>As the auspicious festival of Durga Puja begins, may Maa Durga bless you with good health and happiness. </li><li>May you find all the delights of life, and may all your dreams come true. Wishing you a joyous Durga Puja! </li><li>Wishing you a festival as magnificent as the celebration of Durga Puja itself. Shubho Durga Puja! </li><li>May Maa Durga empower you with the courage to face any challenge and the strength to overcome every hurdle. Happy Durgotsav! </li><li>May the celebrations of Durga Puja fill your heart with joy and warmth. Shubho Sharodiya! </li><li>Wishing you a Durga Puja as enchanting as the blessings of the goddess. Shubho Puja! </li><li>May Goddess Durga illuminate your life with countless blessings. Happy Durga Puja! </li><li>On this auspicious occasion of Durga Puja, may all your troubles fade away, and may you be blessed with everlasting peace. </li><li>May Maa Durga enrich your life with positivity, good fortune, and immense joy. Happy Durga Puja! </li><li>Let us welcome Maa Durga and ask her to bless us with eternal happiness and prosperity. Shubho Durga Puja! </li><li>May the arrival of Maa Durga usher in a new dawn of happiness and success. Shubho Bijoya Dashami! </li><li>Wishing you good health, prosperity, and eternal joy this Durga Puja. May Maa Durga bless you. </li><li>May you and your family be blessed by the nine divine forms of Maa Durga. Shubho Durga Puja! </li><li>May the celebrations of Durga Puja bring peace and contentment to your soul. Shubho Mahotsav! </li><li>May Goddess Durga empower you with the courage to face life's battles. Happy Durga Puja! </li><li>May the blessings of Maa Durga keep enlightening your life and protect you from harm. Shubho Durga Puja! </li><li>May the divine energy of Goddess Durga be your guiding light today and forever. Happy Durgotsav! </li></ul><h2><keyword id="20270579" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Durga-Puja-2024" source="Orion">Durga Puja 2024</keyword> Messages</h2>Durga Puja is a reminder of the power of faith and the strength of good over evil. May the blessings of Maa Durga always be with you! As we celebrate the victory of Maa Durga over Mahishasura, let’s embrace her blessings and live with courage and grace. Durga Puja is not just a festival; it’s a time to celebrate traditions, togetherness, and the eternal victory of light over darkness. This Durga Puja, may you find joy in every moment, peace in every prayer, and strength in every blessing. May Maa Durga’s blessings remove all obstacles from your path and grant you the strength to achieve greatness. Happy Durga Puja! May the grandeur of Durga Puja fill your heart with endless happiness and your home with prosperity and love. Wishing you a Durga Puja as joyous as the vibrant celebrations, and may Maa Durga’s blessings be your guiding light. May the sound of dhaak and the scent of flowers fill your life with endless joy and the blessings of Maa Durga. Happy Durga Puja! This Durga Puja, may you be blessed with divine energy and the strength to conquer all adversities in life. Durga Puja is a time to reconnect with our roots, celebrate life, and seek the blessings of Maa Durga for a future filled with peace and prosperity. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/food/webstories/8-reasons-why-fasting-during-navratri-is-beneficial-for-your-health/slidelist/114053587.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">8 reasons why fasting during Navratri is beneficial for your health</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/india/webstories/top-dussehra-getaways-from-delhi-escapes-for-the-festive-weekend/slidelist/114046437.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Top Dussehra getaways from Delhi: Escapes for the festive weekend</a>

Happy Durga Puja 2024: Thoughtful wishes and messages to make your celebrations special

In case you aren’t much acquainted with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Kolkata-Mocambo-consequence-Do-restaurants-have-the-right-to-reject-guests-on-silly-pretexts/articleshow/54310328.cms">Bengal</a>’s <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Kolkata-Mocambo-consequence-Do-restaurants-have-the-right-to-reject-guests-on-silly-pretexts/articleshow/54310328.cms">Durga Puja</a> Syndrome, yet quite interested about the same, this article is for you. As most Indians, it’s not surprising that you would be having at least one Bengali friend who has annoyed you by now telling you about <keyword id="6357908" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Durga-puja">Durga Puja</keyword> since last few weeks. Durga <keyword id="6354933" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Puja">Puja</keyword> has invariably been a melting pot of culture in <keyword id="6356978" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengal">Bengal</keyword> since the days of the British Raj. And there are two variants of Durga Puja in Bengal. One is ‘Sarbojonin’ or ‘Barowari’, the one that is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Kolkata-Mocambo-consequence-Do-restaurants-have-the-right-to-reject-guests-on-silly-pretexts/articleshow/54310328.cms">funded by the public,</a> while the other being ‘<keyword id="3661917" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bonedi-bari">Bonedi Bari</keyword>’ or <keyword id="6756053" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pujas">pujas</keyword> at the houses of former zamindars that have been happening for last few centuries. 
 
We would talk about the Sarbojonin one later on some other day and right now focus on the Bonedi Bari ones. 
 
Travel back the time, the rich zamindars of undivided Bengal who had came to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Kolkata-Mocambo-consequence-Do-restaurants-have-the-right-to-reject-guests-on-silly-pretexts/articleshow/54310328.cms">Kolkata </a>with much opulence and luxury to enjoy city life had initiated Durga Puja in their residential premises. Centuries have flown down the <keyword id="79976" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ganges">Ganges</keyword> and the properties have got divided among brothers, sometimes with a bitter dividend, but the legacy of the puja brings them all together. 
 We have listed down 10 must-attend <keyword id="3661918" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bonedi-bari-durga-puja">Bonedi Bari Durga Puja</keyword> that you must visit if you are in <keyword id="6354925" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kolkata">Kolkata</keyword> during the first week of October. 
 
(Image: Flickr)

10 Durga Pujas of
Kolkata that still show you a glimpse of how it was done in the good old days

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6921472" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="samaj-sebi-sangha">Samaj Sebi Sangha</keyword> came up with an innovative idea to devote their 73rd puja celebration to the blind by creating a <keyword id="6357958" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga">Durga</keyword> pandal with nails and threads. </li><li>The creators want people to enter the space and feel the texture of the sculpture. </li><li>The committee has also made sure that the visually impaired and pregnant women do not need a separate entry card for VIP entrance.</li></ul>Have you ever seen a sculpture made entirely of nails and that too with a purpose? <keyword id="6357908" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga-puja">Durga Puja</keyword> is one of the most widely celebrated Hindu festivals in India. And, during this year’s Durga Puja, one of the organising committees in <keyword id="6354925" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="kolkata">Kolkata</keyword>, the Samaj Sebi Sangha, decided to take things up a notch by <a href="https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/a-durga-puja-pandal-to-touch-for-the-visually-impaired/cid/1671368">constructing</a> a Durga idol so that even the visually impaired can experience the statue. Breaching the usual norms of a Durga Puja pandal - to not to touch the artefacts - Samaj Sebi committee has been motivating people to touch Durga’s face instead. It’s an initiative to promote inclusive celebration and they even devoted their 73rd puja to the sightless and the blind. The sculpture of Durga has been put together using 20,000 screws and 1,200 nails at the entrance of the pandal. Though not the whole Durga, the sculpture has the face and the eyes of the goddess. The committee has also carved out a wall display with different thread patterns to form words like ‘Ma’ and ‘Jai Maa Durga’. The visually impaired are also being provided with a puja itinerary with in-depth information about the details of festivals in <keyword id="6363733" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="BRAILLE">Braille</keyword>. In a conversation with Business Insider India, Chandan Basu from Samaj Sebi Sangha said, “We have created this pandal for the visually impaired people so that they can feel the Durga Puja. We also wanted to educate the general people to donate their eyes after death to give light to the visually impaired. Samaj sebi sangha always pass a social message every year.” Samaj Sebi also partnered with Voice of the world to help visually impaired children enjoy the festival. Moreover, it has set up an eye donation camp with M.P Birla <keyword id="6607668" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="eye-bank">Eye bank</keyword> near the pandal. According to Samaj Sebi, 85 people have already pledged to donate their eyes. And it’s not just about the visually impaired. The Samaj Sebi Sangha has provided wheelchair and stretcher facilities for the old as well as differently-abled people. The surprise doesn’t end here.The puja committee also encouraged visually impaired children to perform in the cultural evening conducted on 16th October 2016 at the puja premises. This isn’t the first time that the committee has been in the news for its innovative approach towards Durga Puja. Just last year their display garnered appreciation for being India’s longest ‘Alpona’, which is a type of graffiti made in India using rice flour paste. Here is a glimpse of the creative Durga Puja concept

Blind-friendly deity sculpture made from 1,200 nails and 20,000 screws helps the visually impaired ‘see’ Durga Puja

<ul><li>Millions of people will hit <keyword id="6357908" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga-puja">Durga Puja</keyword> Pandals today to celebrate one of the world's biggest street festivals. </li><li>The Durga Puja festival, a 10-day long carnival is celebrated early October. </li><li>One of the artists crafted Durga idols made of 50 kg pure gold worth ₹500 million. </li><li>Here are some pictures of Durga Puja pandals across the country. </li></ul>Millions of people will hit Durga Puja Pandals today to celebrate one of the world's biggest street festivals. The Durga Puja festival, a 10-day long carnival is celebrated early October. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that Goddess Durga comes down to Earth by her four children to visit her parents. She is also known to have slayed the demon Mahishashur, during the same period. Business Insider India picked up the top Durga puja pandals created across several states to celebrate the festival. This community festival is celebrated in the company of friends and family. They also relish foods at street stalls and and patiently stand in long queues to visit the statues of the Goddess. <div type="image" title="AF8F1DFB-59C2-48E7-B636-125B1C75F428" msid="71480280" hostid="261"></div>

 There are several puja committees which create pandals, or marquees, of all shapes and sizes. <div type="image" title="e3cdaf690671f9516b57061bfbd5b10a" msid="71480281" hostid="261"></div>
 One of the artists crafted Durga idols made of 50 kg pure gold worth ₹500 million. Artists also recreated India’s historic mission to the moon, Chandrayaan 2, at puja pandals in Nagpur and Varanasi. <div type="image" title="Nagpur: A replica of &amp;#39;Chandrayaan&amp;#39; made into a Durga Puja pandal during Navratri..." msid="71480273" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A replica of &amp;#39;Chandrayaan&amp;#39; made into a Durga Puja pandal during Navratri Festival, in Nagpur.Photo) (&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 In Kolkata, around 3,000 community pujas and 5,000 family pujas are being held. Another 25,000 community pujas were organised by local clubs, non-government and social organizations. <div type="image" title="A5B87F24-3319-44AD-B15A-1D467DE69216" msid="71480282" hostid="261"></div>
 The puja festivities and prayers begin on the sixth day of the first quarter of the moon and end on Dashami or the 10th day, celebrated across the country as Dassehra. <div type="image" title="7E370E5F-8BF7-4926-A959-14F3DA6AC6F7" tempid="77742" msid="71480321" hostid="261"></div>

 The main fervor starts from the seventh (Saptami), eighth (Ashtami), and ninth (Navami) day when people start visiting the pandal for celebration. 
	<div type="image" title="Kolkata: A Durga Puja pandal themed on letter-box during the ongoing Durga Puja ..." msid="71480291" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A Durga Puja pandal themed on letter-box during the ongoing Durga Puja festival, at Chetla Agrani, in Kolkata.Photo) (&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 The festival concludes the 10th day, called Vijayadashami. 
 <div type="image" title="F0921F65-4097-4C8C-9D8E-E2100B410DE9" tempid="77748" msid="71480322" hostid="261"></div>

See how artists blend faith with India's moon mission, obsession with gold, and much more during one of India's biggest religious festivals

The West Bengal government has earned a whopping state excise income of Rs 600 crore through sale of liquor during the four days of the just concluded <keyword id="6357908" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="durga-puja" source="Orion">Durga Puja</keyword> festival in the state. Monday was the first working day for the state government after a long Durga Puja vacation and the calculations drawn on the <keyword id="167799" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="liquor-sales" source="Orion">liquor sales</keyword> in the state and the amount coming to the state exchequer in the form of state excise has made the officials of the state finance department quite elated. As per calculations of the state finance department officials, the state excise collection has already touched around Rs 8,000 crore which is around 45 per cent of the targeted collection of Rs 17,921.56 crore as per the budget estimates for 2023-24. Going by the trend during the four days of Durga Puja, the state excise officials expect similar impressive sales of liquor and beer during the current month on the occasion of <keyword id="57824" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="kali-puja" source="Orion">Kali Puja</keyword> and Diwali and then in December because of another prolonged festive season starting with Christmas and ending with New Year's Eve. "Generally, the period between October and January is the boom period as regards liquor sales and state excise collection because of two prolonged festive seasons at short intervals. But the trend in Durga Puja this year on this count has surpassed all previous records. So it is now almost certain that the targeted state excise collection will be well surpassed by the end of the current financial year," said a state finance department official. As per the budget estimates for the financial year of 2023-24, the state excise collection is slated to rise to Rs 17,921.56 crore, up by 19.41 per cent from the figure of from Rs 15,001.39 crore as per the revised estimates for the financial year of 2022-23. Whereas, the total state's own tax revenue as per the budget estimates for 2023-24 is slated to increase by just 12.69 per cent to Rs 88,595.54 crore from the figure of Rs 79,5000 crore as per the revised estimates for 2022-23.

Liquor sales touches Rs 600 cr-mark during 4 days of Durga pooja festivities in Bengal

<ul><li>Durga Puja in <keyword id="6357783" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="west-bengal" source="Orion">West Bengal</keyword> is synonymous with fun, enthusiasm and power.</li><li>This year, brands celebrated <keyword id="445934" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maa-durga" source="Orion">Maa Durga</keyword>’s power, resilience by paying a tribute to Indian women.</li><li>Here are a few campaigns that caught our attention.</li></ul><keyword id="48284" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="navratri" source="Orion">Navratri</keyword> and Durga Puja is one of India’s widely celebrated festivals, especially in West Bengal. Millions of people visit Kolkata every year to attend the four-day festival which celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is that time of the year when every part of West Bengal is decked up, consumers are filled with optimism and joy. Pandal hopping, gorging on foods, <keyword id="3105575" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dhunuchi-naach" source="Orion">Dhunuchi Naach</keyword> (dance with the incense burner) are some of the inseparable moments associated with Durga Puja. This is when the entire local community and tourists come together and celebrate the festival with enthusiasm. Dussehra is followed by Kali Puja/Diwali/Laxmi Puja and Bhai Dooj. It is during Navratri and Diwali that consumers shop a lot and spruce up their houses to welcome Maa Durga. The purchase of household durables, cars, bikes, home renovations, capital expenditures in businesses also see a hike during this period. In keeping with the festive spirit, brands left no stone unturned to celebrate Maa Durga during the nine auspicious days of Navratri. Along with beautiful campaigns celebrating the goddess, we also came across a few brands that have come up with limited edition packaging to become a part of the festivities. Brands also use this opportunity to start a conversation around gender equality. They point out how the irony of celebrating <keyword id="87480" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nari-shakti" source="Orion">Nari Shakti</keyword> and female power for the nine days of Navratri is very stark. As the country bids adieu to Maa Durga tomorrow, for this year, we take a look at how the festival was celebrated in the brandverse. Here are a few campaigns that stood out: Elegant Steel <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Shoppers Stop <div type="Youtube" id="L_toOIXnuJI" title="Shera Sajer Shera Stop | Pujo 2021 | Shoppers Stop" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/L_toOIXnuJI/mqdefault.jpg"></div> ITC Aashirvaad <div type="Youtube" id="5lpFle-skcs" title="Eta Amar Maa" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5lpFle-skcs/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Joy Personal care <div type="Youtube" id="Z-Ixcs4WkL8" title="Pujo 2021 - Joy Beautiful by Nature | Mimi Chakraborty | Joy Personal Care" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z-Ixcs4WkL8/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Tata Tea Gold's new packaging <div type="Youtube" id="AjFo4axK7jg" title="Durga Pujo with Tata Tea Gold Special Edition Festive Packs" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AjFo4axK7jg/mqdefault.jpg"></div> 7UP <div type="Youtube" id="owe2SzTk1c0" title="7UP and Fido is here with some fresh dhak beats!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/owe2SzTk1c0/mqdefault.jpg"></div>

Navratri 2021: Here’s how brands celebrated the spirit of Navratri across India

<ul><li>House of Pataudi’, an ethnic wear brand, is co-owned by Myntra, <keyword id="333" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saif-Ali-Khan">Saif Ali Khan</keyword> and Exceed Entertainment.</li><li>The film emphasizes the joy of celebrating festive traditions with loved ones and is set in the auspicious occasion of <keyword id="6357908" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga-puja">Durga Puja</keyword>. </li></ul>Ahead of the <keyword id="10055257" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="big-fashion-festival">Big Fashion Festival</keyword>, Myntra has released a campaign featuring brother-sister duo, Saif and <keyword id="6356056" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="soha-ali-khan">Soha Ali Khan</keyword> tugging at the heartstrings as they pay tribute to one of the most awaited festivals, Durga Pujo, an occasion to celebrate over a period of 5 days, with lip-smacking food and memorable moments with family. The brand film, a part of the campaign, aptly re-creates the present scenario, with countless families celebrating the festive season through video calls, thereby striking an emotional chord with the audience, while underscoring the value of the right attire to enhance any festive celebration and make moments special. The campaign is set to run from 3rd October, to 22nd October, with Myntra well poised to leverage its leadership position in the occasion-wear category among shoppers, ahead of the festive season. The protagonists in the ad-film, Saif and Soha, actively exemplify the richness of the House of Pataudi collection with their presence, embellished in grace and elegance. The film emphasizes the joy of celebrating festive traditions with loved ones and is set in the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja. It opens with Saif, who is on a video call with Soha, cooking the quintessential Bengali Bhoger Khichdi. Though satisfied with his meal, he cannot shake off the feeling of missing a key ingredient. The brother-sister duo debate over what it could be, before Saif reveals it by opening the Myntra app on his phone. Soha soon receives and then unwraps a Myntra box to get pleasantly surprised by a gorgeous ‘House of Pataudi’ dress. Realizing it was Saif who sent the gift, Soha is quick to show off her elegance in the ‘House of Pataudi’ Salwar. Saif, himself draped in a luxurious ‘House of Pataudi’ Kurta, was missing the ethnic touch that comes with such occasions during the festive season and the film closes out with the siblings sharing a light-hearted moment. A voiceover at the end encourages all viewers to try something new this Durga Puja <div type="Youtube" id="iaIgocW2nSM" title="Joy. Laughter. Delicious food. And festive style, with Myntra!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iaIgocW2nSM/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Speaking on the occasion, Harish Narayanan, Head of Marketing, Myntra, said, “Our Durga Pujo campaign will establish a deeper connection with the audience while emphasizing the role of Myntra in life’s special moments, specifically during this festive season. While social celebrations and gatherings may be rare, people in the country who have been in the confines of their homes are looking for basking in festive cheer and celebrating the festival in style, looking their best. As always, Saif brings a great degree of charm and depth to the ‘House of Pataudi’ brand, while Soha strongly complements that with her elegance and feminine touch.” Commenting on the brand campaign, Saif Ali Khan, said “I take great pride in elevating and upholding the rich and varied traditions of our great country and the Pataudi and Tagore heritage. Durga Puja and all other cultural aspects of Bengal always sing to my heart as it reminds me of family and tradition. Given any situation, people have to hold their families closer than ever, and I am certain our film will connect with people across India at a deeper level.” Speaking on the brand campaign, Afsar Zaidi- Founder and Enabler, Exceed Entertainment, said “With the Pujo film, Myntra through its House of Pataudi film, kickstarts the festive spirit in a year that has been so challenging. While this year, celebrations have taken a new form, family bond and togetherness have been redefined and that’s what the film continues to offer.” With the goal of reaching and engaging a wider audiences across India, the campaign will be run through a diversified media mix, which includes digital and social media channels, as well as running ads on TV ahead of the festive season. As a part of Myntra’s efforts to drive higher brand relevance with a diversified, market-contextual approach to its campaigns, this campaign will be run focusing on the East markets.

Saif Ali Khan's House of Pataudi and Myntra launch their Durga Pujo campaign

West Bengal Chief Minister <keyword id="43868" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mamata-banerjee" source="Orion">Mamata Banerjee</keyword> on Monday announced the reopening of educational institutions in the state from November 16, after a gap of nearly 20 months. Banerjee, who is on a North Bengal tour, during an administrative meeting at Uttarkanya -- the state secretariat in Jalpaiguri district of North Bengal -- directed <keyword id="12385503" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chief-Secretary-H-K-Diwedi" source="Orion">Chief Secretary H K Diwedi</keyword> to make the necessary arrangements. With this, the educational institutions that were closed due to the Corona pandemic will resume classes in the offline mode. Though Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress chief, had earlier announced November 15 as the date, it was deferred by a day owing to Bisha Munda's birthday. The tribal leader's birthday on November 15 is treated as a special holiday in the state. "On November 4, there is Kali Puja, followed by <keyword id="12385504" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bhatri-ditiya" source="Orion">Bhatri Ditiya</keyword>. After two days is Chhat puja while November 13 happens to be Jagadhatri Puja. So we can reopen the schools after these festivals from November 15," she said during the meeting. On October 5, the state finance department sanctioned Rs 109 crore to the education department for the renovation of 6,468 government schools, indicating the government's resolve to restart the schools after <keyword id="6357908" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga-puja" source="Orion">Durga Puja</keyword>. Earlier too in August, after her meeting with the Global advisory body chief, she had said that her government was mulling <keyword id="3387016" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reopening-of-schools" source="Orion">reopening of schools</keyword> and colleges that have been shut since March due to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The Chief Minister had said that educational institutes might reopen in West Bengal on alternate days after the Durga Puja vacation in November. Asked about the details of the schedule, an education department official said, "Though it has not yet been decided and the department is still working on the details, but so far, it has been decided that classes from IX onwards will start at the initial level along with the colleges and universities. "However, the department is likely to impose strict conditions to ensure the safety of children from the deadly virus." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/soon-to-be-listed-nykaa-plans-to-expand-to-middle-east-and-the-uk/articleshow/87257541.cms">Soon-to-be listed Nykaa plans to expand to Middle East and the UK</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/jiophone-next-to-launch-this-diwali-specs-features-and-everything-we-know-so-far/articleshow/87256069.cms">JioPhone Next to launch this Diwali – specs, features and everything we know so far</a>

West Bengal Chief Minister announces reopening of schools from November 16 after 20 months

<ul><li>While Durga Puja/Navratri is here, this year, the festivites are subdued.</li><li>Brands are therefore excercising caution in where and how much they spend in the next few days.</li><li>However, things are gradually improving and there are signs of recovery, experts tell us.</li></ul><keyword id="6357908" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga-puja">Durga Puja</keyword> or <keyword id="48284" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="navratri">Navratri</keyword> is one of the biggest festivals in India and every year the festival is marked by marketers pouring in big monies during the nine days of festivity. Actually the festival is so big in states like West Bengal that streets of cities like Kolkata usually become one big advertising canvas. However, things are different this year. With coronavirus still going nowhere, people are cautious. While every year, the streets become adorned by ads and hoardings from brands from all kinds of industries, because this is the best way to grab people’s attentions, this year, even during the festival, advertisers have been cautious. For the ad and marketing industry which saw a huge dip in investments during the first few months of the lockdown, a lot of hope had been resting on the festive season. However, this year there will hardly be a celebration. Just yesterday, the Calcutta High Court also directed all Durga puja pandals in the state to be turned into 'no-entry zones'. Many pandals in the city are barring physical entry of devotees and making the entire experience virtual. Even in other cities, people are planning to give the festivities a skip. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address to the nation advised people to exercise caution while going out during the festival. So what does this mean for advertisers? Will they get a bang out of their buck if they advertiser this year? Explaining how things are going to be different this year, <keyword id="3364704" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sujata-Dwibedy">Sujata Dwibedy</keyword>, Group Trading Director, Amplifi India, dentsu international said, “Durga Puja in the east and Navratri in the west, are two of the grandest of all festivals, The festival marks the start of the auspicious period. Dussehra is followed by Kali Puja/Diwali/Laxmi Puja and Bhai Dooj. People shop a lot. The purchase of household durables, cars, bikes, home renovations, capital expenditures in businesses are seen in this period. A lot of business-led decisions are also made around this time. However, this year would be different as people would not step out like before, but they would be hooked on to the media to get a glimpse of the Goddess. So, the media/channel who can give them the best experience would score over the others.” Every year, categories like FMCG, apparel, auto, e-commerce and consumer durables become the biggest spenders during the festive season. But have these brands come ahead and advertised this year? <keyword id="8330648" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sidharth-Parashar">Sidharth Parashar</keyword>, President – Investments and Pricing, GroupM India said, “With demand picking up in Aug-Sep, key categories like Ecommerce, FMCG, Telecom, Durables, Auto and certain segments within BFSI are expected see increased ad spends this festive season. FMCG saw recovery in Jul-Sep quarter, driven by essentials like health-hygiene products and immunity boosting food products. Brands in these categories coupled with discretionary like skin &amp; personal care products are likely to see an uptick in consumer spending and therefore in ad spending too. Consumer durables and Retail are expected to benefit from the govt.’s LTC cash voucher and festival advance schemes, which would lead to increased spending from government employees on products like apparels, laptops, smart phones, consumer durables, home appliances, fitness, jewellery, beauty &amp; personal care during this festive. For Ecommerce sector, RedSeer estimates this festive to surpass a GMV of U$D 7Bn. driven by a surge in shoppers from Tier-II towns, considerable discounts available and financing options being easily accessible to consumers. Large players like Amazon and Flipkart are scaling up their supply chain vendors, fulfillment centres and higher manpower for delivery, in order to meet surge in demand and are spending heavily on TV, digital &amp; Print.” While people might give pandal-hopping a skip this year, they have also started spending money. At this point, people are on the lookout for a change, for something positive and this has led to a visible shift in consumer sentiments in the past few months, Dwivedy added, “We are seeing that market sentiments have improved over the past few months. A surge in online purchases has been witnessed through the various platforms. Indian consumers have started embracing the new normal, and consumption of products is back. There are multiple new categories of products, new convenience food products, health, hygiene-related – all have been accepted and are being tried out. In the last few days, the malls have also opened with new offerings from the shops. Many are offering home delivery, video selections and are even ready to send people home with multiple samples for trials. Home delivery of groceries, foods and other products is preferred. Implying that the emotions have revived, the consumption has begun, however, the mode of consumption is new.” This positive sentiment has led to a month-on-month increase in spends since July across categories. “TV has been almost at the same levels as the previous year. Print, on the other hand, is kind of catching up but it will still take some more time in top metros. Nevertheless, Tier II towns are tracking better. Radio has also picked up. OOH and Cinema that have been worst hit this year should see some relief in this quarter,” she explained. While Television has steadily been seeing an increase in ad spends over the past few months, mediums like Radio and OOH that had suffered a lot during the lockdown are hoping to see some recovery. These are both mediums that see a lot of spends during the festive season in normal years. So how are things this year? Abraham Thomas, CEO, Reliance Broadcast Network Limited said, “The festive season is considered the 5th quarter in India, an auspicious time, for businesses across industries, that contributes 40-45% of sales. Marketers certainly leverage this opportunity with ad volumes showcasing a significant surge. Clearly the most trusted and credible media, this lockdown has helped radio being reimagined amongst the audiences with the overall listenership of medium growing by 30%. The surge in listenership across different TG’s have driven ad volumes across Males, Females, the young and older targeted brands. We have witnessed a rise of 24% in Ad Volumes in week 33 with consistent growth in Ad volume from Aug’20 where average Ad volume surged by 4.8 times as compared to April. With the staggered unlocking of the economy, Radio with its ‘mass local reach’, trusted influencers and digital amplification have witnessed a sharp recovery with certain categories booming more than the others.” However, things aren’t all that great in the outdoor medium and Noomi Mehta, Chairman &amp; MD, Selvel One paints a not-so-rosy picture. He said, “Right now we are at 50% in terms of business when compared to a normal year, and if you compare puja-to-puja, we would be at less than 40% this year. It is true that people are venturing out now and there is an opportunity for brands but they are very cautious.” Every year, especially during Navratri/Durga Puja, brands from segments like FMCG, consumer durables etc go all out and make a lot of noise. “But this year, only those forced to advertise are advertising. For instance, auto brands that are launching new offerings are advertising and currently they are out top advertisers. Every year, we see financial institutes, paint companies, e-commerce platforms and apparel brands also invest in festive but that hasn’t happened this year,” he shared. Despite the fact that brands are cautious in spending, data points towards many cities almost coming to a state of normalcy. Shared <keyword id="2406965" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Atul-Shrivastava">Atul Shrivastava</keyword>, CEO, <keyword id="2911687" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Laqshya-Media-Group">Laqshya Media Group</keyword>, “As far as traffic on the roads is concerned, per data generated through SHARP, Laqshya’s traffic metrics platform, traffic in Kolkata is currently 89-92% of normal times and it is increasing every day. Long traffic jams are also back. So, we see that situation is coming back to normal, aided by the festive season.” However, Shrivastava had something positive to share. He pointed towards signs of recovery, even in terms of ad spends. “Even in the current situation, we are seeing brands in the jewellery, textiles, retail, garments, footwear and the automobile sectors spending their pent-up OOH budgets. FMCG brands are also advertising in OOH media, especially for sanitizing products. OTT platforms and entertainment channels are also investing in OOH media to promote new shows and programs. Hence, even if we do not see 100% spend by clients as compared to last year, current spends are around 60-65%.” On what the rest of the year will look like, Arnab Samanta, Head of Marketing, Graphixstory said, “With the nation gradually ‘unlocking’ itself and with IPL happening around the festive season, the markets are much positive of a revival in the second half of the year. Brands will be spending 1.5 times digitally more than the usual plan of action. The advertising spend will be increased, thoughtful engaging ad campaigns and tech innovations like augmented reality will be introduced to create massive engagement with the target audience. The higher ad spends for various brands will be distributed on a different mix of categories and channels compared to last year, depending on consumer trends and shopping pattern. Digital businesses will now make the way for a sharper trajectory.” While things have still not picked up as much as the ad industry had hoped, the number of new coronavirus infections dropped below 50,000 for the first time in nearly three months in India yesterday. So here’s hoping that things will keep getting better gradually and we will have a better and safer Diwali, one that also brings relief to the industry.

Durga Puja and Navratri is finally here, but are advertisers excited?

There are certain times of the year when shopping becomes a religion. While in India, retailers observe high volume of sales in the Diwali, Id and Durga Puja season, the rest of the world shops more during Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and holiday season. <a href="https://www.sociomantic.com/">Sociomantic</a> has come up with an interesting infographic that depicts how much people shop and spend on these special occasions. Check it out!

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