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<ul><li><keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword> is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains across the country. </li><li>In fact, the various <keyword id="8264189" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="reasons-to-celebrate-diwali">reasons to celebrate Diwali</keyword> don’t just vary from religion to religion, but also from region to region. </li><li>However, the most popular reason is the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana. </li><li>From goddess Lakshmi’s birthday to laying down the foundation of the Golden Temple, people have many reasons to celebrate Diwali. </li></ul>Diwali or the festival of lights is the most significant festival in India celebrated by millions of Indians. Diwali is considered a Hindu festival but also celebrated by Jains and Sikhs too. There are many historical and mythological reasons behind this great Indian festival. Here are lesser known reasons why different parts of India celebrate the festival of lights - North India celebrates Diwali as the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya. After 14 years of exile, Rama along his wife Sita and brother Laxman returned home.Since it was a new moon day and was dark, his subjects lit diyas across the kingdom that day.This tradition is still followed to this day. In South India, celebration of Diwali varies even among the states. Kerala generally does not celebrate Diwali. Many speculate that this may be because King Bali a virtuous demon king was killed this day. The other three states celebrates the occasion in honor of Lord Krishna's consort Satyabhama killing the demon king — Narakasura and freeing thousands of girls in his captivity. It is celebrated a day before Diwali, and the occasion is called Naraka Chaturdashi. In West India, Diwali is considered as the start of a new year and is predominantly about worshipping the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. It’s the festival of light and wealth, especially in Gujarat Many events related to prosperity like it opening new offices, sealing marriages or buying a vehicles is scheduled for Diwali. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi comes to their home and blesses them with wealth and prosperity for the coming year. In East India, Diwali is celebrated under the alias Kali Puja in honour of Goddess Durga’s fierce avatar: Kali. Along with Durga Puja, Kali Puja is a big event in Bengal and Assam.

Here are different reasons why India celebrates Diwali

<ul><li><keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword> has always denoted the victory of the Hindu deity, Ram over the demon, <keyword id="42776" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ravana">Ravana</keyword> but there are many reasons why people across <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> celebrate diwali. </li><li>In fact, the various reasons to celebrate Diwali don’t just vary from region to region, but also from religion to religion.</li><li>From goddess Lakshmi’s birthday to laying down the foundation of the Golden Temple, people have many reasons to celebrate Diwali. </li></ul>The Indian festival of lights, Diwali, is considered to be an ‘Hindu’ festival, where people practising <keyword id="6375753" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="hinduism">Hinduism</keyword> celebrate the return of Hindu deity, Rama after killing the demon Ravana based on the Hindu epic, Ramayana. At least, this is what most people across the world have come to identify with the festival of Diwali over the years.. But Diwali is a lot more than that. There are more historical and mythological reasons to celebrate the great Indian festival. Reflecting the unity in diversity nature of Indian culture, all these prominent reasons have one thing in common — the triumph of good over evil. Let’s find out why people across Indian cherish Diwali so much

Diwali isn’t just a ‘Hindu’ festival — Here are 5 lesser known reasons behind the celebration of India’s festival of lights

Diwali isn’t just a ‘Hindu’ festival — Here are 5 lesser known reasons behind the celebration of India’s festival of lights

<ul><li>While the first half of the year was so unusual and unprecedented that the ad industry took a nosedive to as low as -60%, research studies have shown that the consumer sentiment is picking up and so are ad spends. </li><li>Diwali has brought an opportunity for brands to reconnect with their consumers, woo them again and remind that we are all in this together. </li><li>And Indian brands have not disappointed. From Mondelez and BYJU’s to HP, brands have made beautiful advertisements as a tribute to the working class that continues to struggle. </li><li>We reached out to experts to discuss their favourite ads from this Diwali and some of the reasons that make them special. So, here is a listicle compiling the best ads of this year. </li></ul>Diyas and rangolis, food and family, gifts and greetings – this is what makes Diwali truly special. It is also an advertising carnival which brings up an opportunity for brands to reconnect with consumers as the market sentiment improves. Brands pour in big monies on traditional mediums to reach out to consumers at a larger scale. Every year, categories like FMCG, apparel, auto, e-commerce and consumer durables become the biggest spenders during Diwali. However, 2020 is unusual. Coronavirus still hasn’t left our country and people continue to be cautious about stepping out. So, this Diwali won’t be about bursting crackers on the street and meeting your family to exchange sweets. It will all be virtual, about being there for each other in tough times and celebrating small victories while maintaining a safe distance. So this year, brands have looked beyond family and home. After spending the first half of the year jobless, locked inside four walls, there are many who won’t get to celebrate the festival of light in its true spirit because they would be busy searching for small opportunities to support their family. The ironman, painter, watchman, delivery personnel and many other Indians will continue working, some bound by their circumstances and others by their duties. COVID’s economic disruption has adversely impacted the collective optimism for festivities. Yet, all it takes is the determined optimism of hope and celebration to cheer someone. Therefore, many brands decided to shine a spotlight on these heroes who go unnoticed. They urged consumers to support different sectors of our society who have been badly impacted by COVID-19. Common themes of togetherness, compassion, positivity, generosity, uplifting each other and supporting small businesses, emerged this year and took over the advertising canvas. Brands reminded their audience to help bring light and joy not just inside their homes but also outside their lives by sharing a little part of their happiness. After all, that's what festivals are all about. So like this unusual year, we decide to do something different. We reached out to experts to find out their favourite advertisements and the reasons why they loved them. Here is what they had to say about creativity this Diwali: Ronita Mitra, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting: Most brands have been warm, telling stories of togetherness and bonding with family, friends and neighbours. In that sense, all brands are playing their role in uplifting the sentiments of consumers, encouraging them to enjoy the festive season once again. However the campaign that stands out for me is the Cadbury's campaign. The brand has weaved in "togetherness and inclusiveness" into the very heart of the campaign idea. and gone beyond merely producing an engaging ad with a well told, warm story. The Cadbury's brand has taken the idea of togetherness to a different level by involving and doing something meaningful for a segment of society that has been badly impacted by Covid - the local neighbourhood retailers. It has played the role of a truly responsible, inclusive brand that believes growth is sustainable when the eco system grows together. The idea entails high level execution effort in terms of integrating the gathering database with advanced technology to make the idea come alive in a real way for every consumer. The campaign is an inspiring coming together of idea, execution and technology at every stage from conceptualization to the hyper personalised media plan. <div type="Youtube" id="So16ZBPK6mo" title="This is not just a Cadbury ad" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/So16ZBPK6mo/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Roshan Abbas, Founder &amp; MD, Geometry Encompass: I just saw a lovely HP Print ad on DiwaliDilWali, it was beautiful and emotional. A follow up to their earlier campaign 2 years ago on supporting local sellers, it brings together the beauty of innovation, emotion and has a fabulous performance by Seema Pahwa. While everyone is harping on supporting small sellers the route and product integration is what makes this different. <div type="Youtube" id="2uA1r8gaRik" title="#YeDiwaliDilWali" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2uA1r8gaRik/mqdefault.jpg"></div> <keyword id="247533" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karthik-Srinivasan">Karthik Srinivasan</keyword>, Social Media Expert and Independent Brand Consultant: I have seen a few Deepavali/Diwali ads and so far liked 2 of them more than the others. Both have the same theme, of not stopping the kind of work/purchases that we do during Deepavali because of the pandemic. Whether that sells consumerism or is coated as restarting the seller-buyer ecosystem is a different question. The first one is by Birla White, a brand that doesn't really have a say in Diwali, but brings itself very contextually and meaningfully into the Diwali discussion. This is by Autumn Grey. <div type="Youtube" id="FKnAmnyf_eo" title="Deewarein Sajengi Tabhi Toh Tyohaar Ki Rangat Badhegi" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FKnAmnyf_eo/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The second is a surprise since it is not from India! This ad is for the Malaysian bank, RHB that features Tamilians (Malaysian Tamils) and Tamil language, by FCB Kuala Lumpur. The theme is very similar to the Birla White story in that both use the father-daughter dynamics for emotional appeal. <div type="Youtube" id="gaUtaD-uzyg" title="RHB Deepavali 2020: Light In a Time of Darkness" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gaUtaD-uzyg/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Heeru Dingra, CEO, WATConsult: Out of all ads that seem to have gone live so far, Phillips’ Diwali campaign ‘Khushiyon Ki Ladi’, weaves a very beautiful and relevant story for the audience. Instead of approaching the festival directly, they took the viewers on a journey showcasing an interlinked chain of festivities, which surrounds all of us. With very relatable scenes like receiving a delivery, or purchasing sweets at a store, the video basically taught us the economy and dependency that businesses have on each other. With its smooth story narration and the ingrained feel good factor, the campaign did what it set out to do – make us associate Diwali with a feeling of community and interconnectivity. <div type="Youtube" id="GGd_g9MT0oY" title="Philips | #KhushiyonKiLadi" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GGd_g9MT0oY/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Vishnu Srivastav, Vishnu Srivastav, Creative Head, DDB Mudra South: My favourite Diwali campaign this year is ‘Not Just a <keyword id="3275564" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cadbury-Ad">Cadbury Ad</keyword>’ by Cadbury. A large brand using its large platform to help other businesses in need. What could capture the Diwali spirit and Cadbury’s ethos of spreading cheer better? It’s data driven advertising with a deeply human impact. Janhavi Iyer, Associate Director- Content Strategy, Gozoop: The Not Just a Cadbury Ad by Cadbury definitely caught my attention this year. Not only is it supported by the use of sound media technology with the pin-code based personalization but it also meets one of the most important criteria for a great ad and that is actionability. With Covid leaving small and local businesses suffering, Cadbury’s ad was not just on brand but its simple message of buying local capitalized on the predominant sentiment of the nation, at a time when it was needed most. This year, as I stepped outside to shop for Diwali, I went to all my local stores, a conscious action sparked by a simple and insightful campaign. I’d also give a shout out to Oppo’s Be The Light campaign. From a storytelling perspective, the short film struck all the right chords without pushing the product too much, making it a delight to watch. <div type="Youtube" id="KHxc8QkSwiQ" title="OPPO F17 Pro - #BeTheLight To Spread The Light | Diwali'20" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KHxc8QkSwiQ/mqdefault.jpg"></div>

Experts share their favourite Diwali campaigns from 2020

<ul><li>Tanishq’s latest Ekatvam Diwali ad stirred up a new row of controversy on social media for promoting a crackerless Diwali. </li><li>The brand was quick to delete its ad this time. </li><li>This made us wonder if brands are setting a wrong precedent by pulling down their advertisements and giving in to these bullies too quickly? Will consumers lose faith in the brand for backtracking and its lack of confidence? </li><li>Experts tell us their thoughts and ideal ways of dealing with online trolling. </li></ul>Tanishq has found itself in troubled waters yet again. On November 09, #BoycottTanishq was trending on Twitter for another advertisement under its on-going ‘Ekatvam’ (unity) campaign and this time, we are scratching our heads to find a reason why it offended the internet users. The ad featured four independent actors Sayani Gupta, Neena Gupta, Alaya F and Nimrat Kaur talking about what they love about Diwali and how they are going to celebrate the festival this year. The ad is about female companionship and oneness. It celebrates successful women and positions itself as a brand that caters to women of all ages. Tanishq’s latest ad wasn’t just about promoting a noise-free Diwali, contrary to what trolls think. It was about celebrating Diwali with family and not bursting crackers was just one of the messages they gave. The message which offended many internet users wasn’t the central thread of the ad. It was woven around the message of equality and togetherness. Its caption read, “This Diwali, let’s unite and celebrate with those closest to our hearts.” While many experts say that religion is a tough subject to handle and brands should be careful in the way they project themselves, this time, Tanishq played it safe. It only featured Hindu, upper-caste and class women celebrating Diwali. So, what was the problem? It seems like the memories of the previous storm were still fresh and the mere sight of Tanishq is offending Twitterati. They were quick to jump in to ask for another boycott for ‘trying to advise Hindus on how to celebrate their festivals’ and ‘defame their culture.’ “Why should anyone advise Hindus how to celebrate Our Festivals? Companies must focus on selling their products, not lecture us to refrain from bursting Crackers. We will light lamps, distribute sweets and burst green crackers. Please join us. You will understand Ekatvam,” said a user. “Saw a recent ad campaign by Tanishq Jewelry where some bimbos prattle vacuously about how Deepavali is about buying clothes and jewellery. Looks like this is the new woke line. Strip Deepavali of all religious significance and make it a kind of a glorified kitty party with lights,” said another Twitter user. They even had a problem with women not wearing symbols of patriarchy and their badges of being married such as bindis, bangles and sindoor. <div type="twitter" handle="krithikasivasw" handlename="krithika sivaswamy" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1307598588181016576/coJ-S3Qq_normal.jpg" favoritecount="172" retweetcount="61" status="No bindi, no deepam, no lakshmi pooja. While I don't like to intefere into people's dressing or spiritual choices… https://t.co/tzM0cbaXk0" createdat="1604896710000" id="1325659002307375105"></div> It was around a month ago that Tanishq’s ad film about a Hindu bahu and her Muslim saas living together peacefully made the trolls uncomfortable. In both these controversies, Tanishq was quick to withdraw its ad and apologise for hurting religious sentiments. This made us wonder if brands are setting a wrong precedent by pulling down their advertisements and giving in to these rabble-rousers too quickly? The last time, Tanishq withdrew its ad because the safety of its employees was in danger and so far, for its recent ad, it has just been social media outrage. Powerful brands like Tanishq have the resources to stand up to these bullies. Brands are also aware of the volatile climes they live in and how advertisements can irk some internet users. So, are brands not hiring good media planners? Will consumers lose faith in the brand for backtracking and its lack of confidence? A larger question every CMO ponders upon, what is the ideal way to deal with these online bullies? We reached out to experts to find out. Here is what they had to say: Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist and Angel Investor: I am surprised that Tanishq chose to take down the ad in the face of social media backlash. I am sure the brand foresaw the likely controversy when they chose to go down this path – so backtracking now is a little surprising and doesn’t speak well for their planning. It is important for companies and brands to respect public sentiment. After all, a brand and a company exists within a larger community and all it does is have to reflect the values of its users and the larger society it operates in. Thanks to their reach and heft, brands have become important elements in shaping culture, influencing behaviour and moulding opinion. It is therefore important for them to proactively do the right thing, even though it may have short-term implications for their business. Harish Bijoor, Brand Guru &amp; Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc: I very simply believe that brands must avoid touching topics that either directly or indirectly touch politics or religion. Anything that touches these two or adjacent issues such as custom and tradition, must be avoided. These are sensitive times. Avoid issues that sensitize audiences further. Akshara Vasavda, Creative Lead, Schbang: Another <keyword id="2851713" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tanishq-Ad">Tanishq ad</keyword> taken down because of angry trolls upset over someone saying we shouldn't burst firecrackers, because you know, we're kind of in the middle of a pandemic and an on-going climate crisis in general. How dare they? First, let's focus on the real issue - the extremists dominating much of the Indian media and social media right now, spreading their intolerance in almost every sphere of our lives. There is no platform where one can express their (very reasonable and justified) views freely without getting attacked by angry extremist trolls. Whether or not Tanishq should have taken the ad down is a separate conversation. They are still yet another victim of growing extremism in our country, albeit a very privileged victim with power and resources to fight this issue and bring some much needed change. Should Tanishq have taken this ad down? Absolutely not. I work on a brand 100x smaller than Tanishq that was attacked for a week straight for a simple social media post on Navratri, but we stuck to our cause and fought the trolls off with a team of 3 girls handling ORM. I simply do not see why a brand like Tanishq feels forced to take the ad down except for maybe, just maybe, they want to have their cake and eat it too - please the progressives but be in the good books of conservatives/right wing audience as well. Afterall, their sales come from the old and the rich. Or maybe, they want the controversy. Whatever the reason is, I'm out of sympathy for this TATA giant, when small, independent brands are not afraid to stand up in the face of right-wing suppression of speech. Kuber Chopra, Founder, Creative and Strategy Director, Rasta: What Tanishq is dealing with is not a "might offend someone" mindset, it's got to a point where the trolls have simply marked some brands as too liberal for their liking. Just like they would mark some popular liberal voices as those to quash dare they speak. While I did feel when they released the last ad, they would have been conscious of potential backlash, on this occasion they're just dealing with depressing brainwashed mindsets that are going to continue to get offended by the sight of Tanishq. They are probably offended by this because there are 4 independent women and no men in a Diwali ad (albeit it's a jewelry ad) speaking English. I'm honestly a little saddened to suggest a hack for this, but if Tanishq doesn’t think putting a brave front is worth it, they should change the script and redo the voice over perhaps in Hindi. If they want to be brave they can release little snippets of each of these women lighting dias and a little story about who they are, where they're celebrating Diwali. And of course, doing nothing is also a strategy. Hope Tanishq has the best Diwali and open minded Diwali shoppers make their wallets heard. Akshaara Lalwani, CEO &amp; Founder, Communicate India: Conceptualization of an ad campaign is backed by the vision to create an emotional connect with the audience. While ṭhis attempt may at times click well for the brand, there is a possibility of it backfiring too, especially during such sensitive times, when the world is battling through a global health crisis and emotions are heightened. However, keeping that in mind, it is also imperative for brands to believe in its value system and not change as per audience receptiveness. Thus, pulling down the ad wasn't the best way to deal with this situation and only reflected the lack of belief in the idea that the brand had executed through this campaign If we observe the audience engagement post-global-lockdown, it has reflected an upsurge in the rate of social media trolls. Having had the technological access and ample amount of time at hand, people are consuming content on a larger scale and hence brands have been put under the microscopic lenses. In order to deal with such trolls, brands need to evaluate and understand the sentiment that the campaign has brought forth among the audiences. Basis the audience reaction, devising a strategy that helps communicate the campaign’s authentic idea is the best way to tackle the situation at hand. Amyn Ghadiali, Vice President -Business &amp; Strategy, Gozoop: It definitely sets a wrong precedent. I believe that more than trolls, the customers also lose faith in the brand because it doesn’t have the courage to see through things that they actually believe in. If I were the brand custodian at Tanishq, the fundamental question I would ask myself is that do I believe in what I am saying &amp; are the ones trolling me/ my customers? If they are, then I would really like to understand their POV better rather than pulling down the ad. If they are random trolls, who never would be able to afford my brand, why even bother? Also, if a brand believes in a progressive society, I would want to have customers who share that ideology. Look at how Jeff Bezos supported black lives matter. I wouldn’t call it strategy, I would simply call them principles. We all know principles mean nothing if they don’t cost us something. The best way to deal with trolls is to create an army of brand advocates that stand by your decision and belief. In-case of a polarising debate like that of Tanishq or for that matter any brand, it is important to have a spine and stick through. People who support your belief system will come forward, defend you and in-fact respect you even more.

Is Tanishq’s Ekatvam Diwali ad being pulled down setting a wrong precedent?

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="1655" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Priyanka-Chopra">Priyanka Chopra</keyword> Jonas, who's promoting her partnership as a creative advisor for the spiked seltzer brand BON V!V, spoke to Insider about keeping in touch with loved ones this holiday season and finding ways to be creative.</li><li>"I think the tradition that I've always tried to maintain is, no matter which of the holidays, try and be home, be with the family," she told us.</li><li>The actress also shared details about her BON V!V x Priyanka Chopra Jonas Holiday Box, which includes festive pajamas that she designed and ingredients for a holiday cocktail. </li><li>Chopra Jonas said that the holiday box can help to "bring a sense of normalcy."</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/priyanka-chopra">Priyanka Chopra Jonas</a> opened up about how she's staying creative during quarantine, keeping in touch with friends and family, and maintaining some sense of "normalcy" this holiday season. "I think the tradition that I've always tried to maintain is, no matter which of the holidays, try and be home, be with the family," Chopra Jonas, who's promoting her <a href="http://www.bonvivholiday.com">partnership</a> as a creative advisor for the <a href="https://www.bonvivspikedseltzer.com/">spiked seltzer brand BON V!V</a>, told <a href="https://www.insider.com/">Insider</a>."Especially this year, just because so many of us are not going to be able to see our larger families, to be able to stay in touch, send them something that reminds them that they're loved, I think is what's going to be important this year," the 38-year-old actress added. Although the coronavirus pandemic has prevented many people from having in-person interactions with loved ones, Chopra Jonas said that she's actually "stayed more connected this year with my family than ever in my life" because of the circumstances."I think it was the fear of not being able to see them or not knowing when this uncertainty will end, but I've been in touch on FaceTime [and] WhatsApp groups," she told us. "I've really been in touch a lot more than I would've otherwise."Chopra Jonas also told us that her holiday season kicked off in November with Diwali, the festival of lights. "I'm in London right now because I'm filming a movie here and my family's here with me, so we did a little Diwali celebration at home," she said.The "We Can Be Heroes" star went on to say that, in a year of uncertainty, it's "really just important to bring a sense of normalcy, even though we're home."That idea of "normalcy" inspired her limited edition <a href="http://www.bonvivholiday.com">BON V!V x Priyanka Chopra Jonas Holiday Box</a> - which includes two choices of silk holiday pajama sets that she created with LA-based designer Helena Quinn, plus ingredients to make the star's signature holiday cocktail called the BON V!V Candy Cane Crush.<div type="image" title="BON V!VxPCJ_Holiday Box_CountertopLifestyle_GreenPJ" height="2249" width="3000" msid="79648601" hostid="261"></div>Chopra Jonas said that "the world's been a really tough place," and because most people will be home for the holidays, she wanted to create a gift box that's "conducive to that.""I don't need a reason to get inspired to make a new cocktail," she joked of crafting a festive drink that includes tequila, pomegranate juice, BON V!V's cranberry spiked seltzer. The actress also told Insider that she's "very specific" about her pajamas, but the two sets she created for her BON V!V box are "hopeful and very symbolic of the holidays."One set comes in a champagne silk shade, which Chopra Jonas said is flattering on anyone's skin tone, and the other is emerald green.<div type="image" title="BON V!V x PCJ Holiday Exclusive priyanka chopra" height="4020" width="2262" msid="79648605" hostid="261"></div>Chopra Jonas said that the pajamas can instantly become "elevated," yet comfortable, for holiday photos by simply adding heels. "Get a tree, put up the ornaments, put some lights on, wear some lipstick, some earrings, and let's sit on the dining table for dinner instead of the couch," she suggested."I'm a little old school that way, but I think it'll be fun to bring some sense of normalcy and appreciate the fact that we've at least got time with our families during this year and we've had the ability to, while there's so much that's happening in the world that can give us anxiety, take a moment to just be grateful for what we have."<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/priyanka-chopra-quantico-abc-career-bio-life-2018-4">Everything to know about Priyanka Chopra Jonas, the former Miss World and Bollywood star who's dominating Hollywood</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/priyanka-chopra-secret-to-career-success-life-advice-2019-4">Priyanka Chopra shared her secret to career success, and said it can be applied to other life decisions too</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/priyanka-chopra-bon-viv-drink-brunch-cocktail-2020-7">I made Priyanka Chopra Jonas' boozy popsicle cocktail, and it's the perfect brunch addition</a></li></ul>

Priyanka Chopra Jonas says the key to bringing 'normalcy' to this year's holiday season involves pajamas and a drink

Samvat 2077: Bharti Airtel, Infosys, ICICI Bank, SBI, Varun Beverages and Can Fin Homes stocks are among the top Diwali picks

New clothes, delicious sweets, crackers and some quality time with family and loved ones – this is what marks <keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword> for us Indians. Having spent years lighting diyas and making rangolis, we all know the underlying reason for the massive celebrations that await the country as the festival of lights approaches. It is one of the most exciting festivals that India looks forward to – one that celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness! While reasons for some of the rituals followed during the festive season are known to everyone, certain others are done blindly with an acceptance that it may be a part of the way society has celebrated this festival since time immemorial. But let us tell you, every little ritual from making rangolis to cleaning the house to lighting diyas, everything has a peculiar reason to it, here they are: 
 
Observing <keyword id="4067" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Dhanteras">Dhanteras</keyword>, <keyword id="59958" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhai-Dooj">Bhai dooj</keyword> as isolated festivals: 
 
These are two well-known festivals that even a kid raised in an Indian family would know about. Dhanteras is a popular tradition to purchase utensils, electronics and gold jewellery. On Bhai Dooj, sisters give special gifts to their brothers and pray for their well-being and long life. We all know that, yes. But did you know, these smaller events are actually a part of Diwali. Diwali is not a one-day festival. It’s actually a five-day long festival beginning with Dhanteras (Festival of Wealth), Naraka Chaturdasi (Day before Diwali also called Choti Diwali), Amavasya (New moon), Kartika Shuddha Padyami (Day after Diwali) and Bhai Dooj (ritual commemorating brother-sister relationships). 
 
Worshipping only <keyword id="462664" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Goddess-Lakshmi">Goddess Lakshmi</keyword> on Diwali 
 
For years, we have stood in front of idols with folded hands on the festival of lights. By now, we know that Goddess Lakshmi is the show stealer but do we know why? Lakshmi Puja is performed on the following day of Amavasya, the new moon night. It is widely believed that Goddess Lakshmi’s destroyer form (marak form) is active on this day and she is in search of the cleanest house to bring an end to all negative energies and offer blessings of fortune and prosperity to the family. It is precisely this reason why a broom is kept when prayers are done and the house doors are left open to welcome the goddess. 
 
Cleaning the house before Diwali 
 
Just as mentioned above, mythology suggests goddess Lakshmi enters only the cleanest houses to give her blessings. That’s why you hear mothers hyperventilating looking at that dust-laced furniture and cloth-laden bed boxes! How will the goddess touch upon you with all that dirt! 
 
Lighting Diyas: 
 
Yes, it is to celebrate the homecoming of Shri Ram, but that’s not it! Goddess Lakshmi is believed to enter not only the cleanest, but also the brightest house. 
 
Making rangoli 
 
Rangoli is preferably smeared at the main entrance of the house in the form of both - a belief and a custom. They beautify the entrances in the houses, but are also believed to keep bad spirits at bay as well as curb negativity. It further attracts wealth, happiness as well as prosperity into the house. 
 
Playing Tambola/card games 
 
It’s not just for fun, there’s mythological significance to this. Firstly, playing card games during Diwali is believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the year ahead. But it is also believed that Goddess Parvati played dice with her husband Lord Shiva on this day. Elated with her victory, she announced that whoever gambled on Diwali night would mint wealth throughout the year. As Goddess Lakshmi is an incarnation of Parvati, she visits earth to bestow pecuniary benefits on anyone found gambling. 
 
(Image credit: Economic Times)

6 things we do on Diwali even we don’t know why

<keyword id="41267" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ram-Temple" source="Orion">Ram Temple</keyword> in Ayodhya has created a buzz in this Swiss ski resort town during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting with devotees planning to hold <keyword id="20225115" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ram-bhajans" source="keywords">Ram Bhajans</keyword> and light diyas on the consecration day this coming Monday. Besides, many global business leaders have been inquiring from the Indian delegation, including those from the government and private sector, about the business and infrastructure opportunities created by development of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh as a major religious and tourism centre. Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the WEF Annual Meeting 2024, Union Minister <keyword id="19899683" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="smriti-irani" source="keywords" medley.seotitle="smriti-irani" medley.uid="86565607" medley.msid="86565607" medley.seopath="magazines/panache/panache-people-101/smriti-irani" medley.containers="panache-people-101" medley.title="Smriti Irani">Smriti Irani</keyword> said she met a group of devotees who asked her if they can also celebrate Ram Temple consecration ceremony on January 24. "Some Ram Bhakts here asked me to record a message imploring the community here to do <keyword id="20221476" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ram-bhajan" source="keywords">Ram Bhajan</keyword> and to lighten diyas here on 22nd January. "They came to the lounge and saw me here, walked up and they made that request," said Irani who is leading a strong Indian delegation to the WEF. Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords" topicspecial.url="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/narendra-modi" medley.seotitle="narendra-modi" medley.uid="85626789" medley.msid="85626789" medley.seopath="magazines/panache/panache-people-101/narendra-modi" medley.containers="panache-people-101" medley.title="Narendra Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> and several leaders are scheduled to be present at the ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22, which is likely to be attended by over 8,000 people. Besides, the prime minister has urged people across the country to celebrate the day like Diwali at their respective places. Besides the temple, an international airport has also been set up in Ayodhya while a large number of infrastructure projects are being built there to develop the city into a major religious tourism centre. "I think we as a community have shown... I always say in Hindi that 'Dharma ke liye dhairya dikhayen' (show patience when it comes to religion), and the fact that we have been patient and waited for a judicial pronouncement with regards to our beliefs and rights, that speaks volumes about the strength of our democracy and the prime minister of India," Irani said. "Respecting every religion, we waited for a long time that Bhagwan Ghar Aayenge (God will come home)," said Irani, who is minister for women and child development as well as minority affairs. "It is a reason for celebration and joy, so my gratitude to everybody who showed that patience and I look forward to going back home, going to (my Lok Sabha constituency) Amethi on 22nd January and celebrating with them," Irani said. Besides other states, Uttar Pradesh has also set up a pavilion here for the WEF Annual Meeting and visitors, including businessmen from across the world, have been inquiring about the temple and other Ayodhya projects. Several global leaders said they are keen to know about these projects, in addition to other business opportunities in India.

Ram Temple creates a buzz in Davos too

<ul><li>Due to the ongoing festive season, advertisers and brands are going all out to connect with consumers.</li><li>This year, the number of brands approaching influencers is significantly larger than last year, and there is a good mix of startups and well-established companies.</li><li>From fashion to home decor creators, brands have partnered with social media influencers to promote their new festive launch before Diwali.</li><li>So, with Diwali around the corner, we speak to <keyword id="2540701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="influencer-marketing" source="Orion">influencer marketing</keyword> agencies to find out how important is the festive season for creators, what kind of uptick in demand can we expect due to the festive season, response from advertisers so far and trends we can look forward to during Diwali.</li></ul>If you are sprucing up your house on a small budget or planning to buy new accessories or ethnic dresses for India’s biggest festival -- Diwali, are you using a search engine for inspiration or are you following social media’s top influencers for ideas? If you are active on Instagram, then chances are you are also turning to influencers for festive advice. We all have at least a 100 bookmarked posts on Instagram for rangoli ideas, DIY home decor, or ethnic dress inspiration. According to Facebook’s Festive Marketing Guide for 2021, social media has now become a leading channel to drive brand discovery and purchase during the festive season. Facebook’s report further reveals that half the people said that influencers help them discover new products and 45% added that influencers help them make a purchase decision. The year 2020 accelerated influencer marketing’s growth, perhaps by a decade, and revolutionised the Indian marketing ecosystem completely. It is because of the pandemic and the consumer’s heavy reliance on social media platforms that the influencer marketing industry has undergone a severe transformation in a short time, becoming a mainstream marketing vehicle. According to the latest figures in the Global Web Index (GWI), the average Indian spent 2.29 hours per day on social media in 2020 and as always, brands are following consumers where they spend the most time. So, this Diwali, from fashion to home decor creators, brands have partnered with social media influencers to promote their new product launches. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Growth so far and predictions for this festive season" text="Growth so far and predictions for this festive season">Growth so far and predictions for this festive season</cmsannotation> GroupM and INCA’s study revealed that influencer marketing has become a top priority for marketers this year. Every other leader indicated a budget growth of more than 25% in 2021. INCA’s report further said that the Influencer Marketing industry is poised to grow at a CAGR of 25% for the next decade, reaching a size of Rs 2200 crore in 2025. So, with India’s biggest festival around the corner and to leverage the increasing demand, brands have also increased their budget for influencer marketing. “Influencer Marketing is set to be one of the top choices for brands to enhance the brand value this festive season. In fact, brands have culled out almost 30% of the overall budget for influencer marketing. It has been on an all-time high this year. According to an industry report, brands are likely to spend around Rs 600 crore on influencer marketing. Thus, one thing is definite about influencer marketing this festive season: It’s going to take a big leap from 2020. The primary reason for the rise in influencer marketing is the personalization of content along with the disruption in cost and speed. Influencers are real and relatable for consumers and can deliver real value for brands by offering exciting ways of sharing a brand’s message,” said <keyword id="11300089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="neel-gogia" source="Orion">Neel Gogia</keyword>, Co-Founder, IPLIX Media. Festive season has given a further push to the industry’s growth. Experts are expecting to see 50% more brands exploring influencer marketing this festive season as marketers look to solidify their social media presence and reach out to the group with highest spending power, GenZ and millennials. "The festive season is already looking very positive for the influencer marketing space. We expect a 50% uptick in brands leveraging influencers to connect with their audiences during this season,” said Sagar Pushp, Co-founder and CEO, ClanConnect. “Since the consumer sentiment had plummeted gravely in 2020, brands are looking forward to explosive growth and pent up demand that will translate to greater sales and revenues this year. Brands are likely to capitalize on this positive sentiment by tapping into the influencer marketing space, which will in turn provide a significant fillip to our industry,” added Pushp. Apaksh Gupta, Founder &amp; Chief Executive Officer of One Impression also said that brands have increased their budget by 50% this year. “Last year, brands had spent very little on their marketing efforts because of the pandemic restrictions and other factors, but the curbs are now eased out and traders are expecting a boost in sales. To put things in perspective, last year we saw brands spending about Rs 20-25 lakh [average] on their influencer campaigns, but this year we expect it to go beyond Rs 50 lakh [on an average] during festive seasons. Additionally, during the pandemic, we also witnessed a boom in the creator economy, and brands have taken note of it. Social media platforms have enabled brands to reach out to a wider audience with the help of influencers who help in putting their messages across, in a more personalized and creative manner, what we nowadays call as snackable content.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="This festive season, a diverse set of brands are upping their spends on influencer marketing" text="This festive season, a diverse set of brands are upping their spends on influencer marketing">This festive season, a diverse set of brands are upping their spends on influencer marketing</cmsannotation> After going through a lull for a year and a half, startups like MamaEarth, Slurrp Farm to established brands and FMCG giants, all key players are leveraging influencer marketing for better visibility and consumer attention. There’s another interesting shift in the industry after the pandemic. Brands are leveraging influencer marketing not just for brand awareness and engagement but also for performance marketing and driving customer acquisition through relevant targeting. Sharing which categories are the biggest spenders this time, <keyword id="7372416" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="viraj-sheth" source="Orion">Viraj Sheth</keyword>, Co- founder and CEO, Monk Entertainment said, “FMCG brands, e-comm players, and FinTech clients I believe will be massive spenders. Brands that are selling products that are best suited for festive gifting will be heavy spends and FinTech clients that help buy digital gold or provide buy now pay later schemes will be in demand as well.” Avantika Mohan, Travel, Lifestyle and Fashion Influencer, represented by WORD Talent, has also seen more lifestyle brands coming her way lately. She said, “I’ve noticed an influx of briefs focusing on fashion (particularly festive wear), online shopping portals and jewelry; brands across these categories along with technology and cosmetics are investing heavily in this festive season, which should go on till the end of the year. Festivals also become an excellent opportunity for brands to offer additional discounts and offers to drive up sales hence brands work with creators to spread the word on the same. It’s an exciting time. Brands are willing to not just work but also allow the creativity of the influencer to drive the content. Brands now understand that the content that creators push can drive real value for them and their products. Our niche allows them to connect with their target audiences directly with content that is fun, relevant and most importantly seasonal. The air is already abuzz with celebration and brands are pushing their seasonal marketing ideas and products that creators are exhilarated to deliver.” Brands with smaller budgets are also partnering with nano-creators. <keyword id="3630874" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dharika-merchant" source="Orion">Dharika Merchant</keyword>, COO, Alchemy Group &amp; WORD said, “Brands are now dedicating special budgets for their influencer marketing campaigns which have resulted in a lot of new brands entering the space. Brands earlier would focus only on large creators but now they’re happy to have smaller spendings but are willing to explore relevant nano or micro influencers for the same. So as we move forward, we are forecasting a more focussed approach towards influencer engagement as compared to before. Brands are now becoming conscious of which creator they want to work with, what kind of content they want to push out and majorly why the creator’s creative process shouldn’t be hampered with. Secondly, we are expecting more brands focussing on micro or nano influencers. These influencers usually cater to a very specific niche and have a higher rate of engagement. As brands start to realise the importance of content over numbers, this is a trend we’re very excited about.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Instagram or home-grown apps, which medium is getting the biggest piece of pie?" text="Instagram or home-grown apps, which medium is getting the biggest piece of pie?">Instagram or home-grown apps, which medium is getting the biggest piece of pie?</cmsannotation> As brands vie for consumer’s attention this Diwali, which is divided into different mediums, where are brands investing the most? “2021 is seeing comparatively more inclination towards influencer marketing strategies. We are seeing a growth upwards of 75% in the influencer marketing industry. Instagram is still the leader when it comes to influencer marketing promotions. YouTube would be the other platform that has gained momentum over time. Even some of the newer short video apps like Josh, Taka Tak and Moj are also being experimented with, by the brands. Increasingly we are also seeing brands leverage content created by creators for performance marketing with Instagram Branded Content Ads and Youtube Creator Promotions for maximum reach and conversion,” Arushi Gupta, Head - Influencer.in told Ad and Media Insider. GenZ and millennials do not consume a lot of television. They either spend their free time scrolling on social media or on an OTT platform. They are looking for authentic content that keeps them engaged, entertained and informed, which happens to be influencer marketing’s core offering. Therefore, influencer marketing is becoming a pivotal marketing tool for brands and its significance is only likely to grow in the future.

As brands turn to influencer marketing for the festive season, experts are optimistic about seeing about a 40-50% growth in ad spends

<ul><li>The <keyword id="36208" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season" source="Orion">festive season</keyword> has always been important to brands, especially to e-commerce players who line up big bumper discounts, look for more retail brands to partner and ramp up their product offerings.</li><li>This festive season, e-commerce platforms are focusing on bringing more personalisation and curation to customers shopping online through greater tech and marketing integration.</li><li>More and more e-commerce platforms are also exploring social commerce, turning their apps into super apps by bringing content, products and trends under one roof for consumers to watch and shop at once.</li><li>With increasing internet penetration, e-commerce players are expecting new growth from Tier II, III and beyond this festive, which will cumulatively contribute to $150 billion of e-commerce as per RedSeer Consulting’s report.</li><li>We speak to India’s leading e-commerce players to find out more about their festive plans and revival expectations.</li></ul>The year 2020 accelerated e-commerce industry, perhaps by a decade, revolutionising the way brands operate, run, and grow their businesses, as well as how consumers choose to shop and pay. In the initial months of the lockdown, businesses witnessed a clear shift in consumer behaviour. Historically offline shoppers also came online due to convenience and safety. Consumers are still hesitant to return to in-store shopping completely and audiences from Tier II and Tier III are also preferring to shop online. The pandemic has evidently caused an inflection point for e-commerce in the country. With the second-largest internet user base, India has emerged as one of the most prominent markets globally. Around 480 million people in India have access to the internet out of which 90 million are online shoppers, according to estimates from management consultancy RedSeer. Shoppers from India’s small towns and cities will cumulatively contribute to $150 billion of e-commerce GMV in the coming decade, until 2030, revealed RedSeer. <div type="image" title="redseer - ecomm report" msid="85901903" hostid="261"></div> After spending a glum year and a half, consumers are excited to celebrate the festive season with upcoming shopping sales for Diwali, Dussehra and Christmas. IPL and ICC T-20 World Cup will further improve consumer sentiment this year. According to a survey conducted by The Trade Desk and YouGov, 82% of consumers shopped online at least once a month in the past six months, and nearly one in four made online purchases several times a week or more often. Titled ‘<a href="https://pages.thetradedesk.com/rs/527-INM-364/images/TheFestiveSeasonPulse2021.pdf">The Festive Season Pulse 2021</a>,’ it further said that 91% of Indian consumers are planning a purchase during the upcoming festive season and six in 10 are interested in learning about new brands during festive season sales. To leverage this uptick in consumer sentiment, the e-commerce category is all set to begin its festive marketing blitz and is preparing to line up big discounts for the season in a few weeks. For this 30-day period leading up to the festive season, leading fashion e-commerce platform <keyword id="319719" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="myntra" source="Orion">Myntra</keyword> has planned ‘Big Fashion Festival,’ which will be followed up with Myntra Diwali Sale, with a focus on ethnic wear. It will also be focusing on emerging categories like Beauty and Personal care, kidswear and categories such as innerwear and essentials which have experienced tailwinds post-Covid. Myntra’s Chief Business Officer, Ayyappan Rajagopal said, “We are expecting this festive season to be bigger than last year with more customers using online channels to make their purchases. Demand usually peaks in the 30 days leading to Diwali and we expect this year to be no different. In fact, the demand in the 2 months leading to the festive season is expected to be far more than last time (because people have learnt with time to adapt to a pandemic world). We expect high demand from across geographies and markets - metros, Tier 1, Tier 2, T3 cities and beyond. To cater to that, we have built the right ethnic wear, beauty, and home selection, and have partnered with brands on best deals. Hence, to leverage this demand and provide best value to our customers, we are organizing Big Fashion Festival and Myntra Diwali Sale to make this season a resounding success.” Right on the heels of the festive season, Myntra ramped up its marketing game by onboarding Hrithik Roshan, Vijay Deverakonda and Dulquer Salmaan as its newest brand ambassadors, alongside the existing celebrity ambassadors Kiara Advani, and Samantha Akkineni. Now, it is hoping to double its customer base and cater to Gen-Z shoppers with its high-decibel marketing. “With the optimism coming from recovery from Covid and revival in shopping sentiments along with the habitualisation of digital foray across all customer segments, we see a lot of new customers shopping during this festive season. We have also seen trends in Metro/T1 markets where Myntra has been traditionally strong, pointing towards such a revival. With a positive overall sentiment, we will be looking at doubling our customer base during this period. There will also be an added focus towards expanding our footprint in southern markets, deeper penetration into Tier 2 / 3 towns and exploring customer addition through emerging categories like Kids wear, Inner wear, fashion accessories, Beauty and persona care, etc. The greatest focus will be on Gen-Z cohort of shoppers,” shared Rajagopal. E-commerce platforms are also focusing on bringing more personalisation and curation to customers shopping online through greater tech and marketing integration. More and more e-retailers are exploring social commerce, turning their apps into super apps by bringing content, products and trends under one roof for consumers to watch and shop at once. D2C fashion platform Bewakoof.com that recently raised Rs 60 crore in an investment round led by InvestCorp, IvyCap and Spring Marketing Capital, is expecting to Rs 120 crore in brand sales this quarter. It recently rolled out celebrity-led digital campaigns with Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra and Farhan Akhtar. It plans to further build its market presence by signing more A-list celebrities to its roster and launch a 360-degree campaign by October. On the technology side, the company intends to launch a gamification-led loyalty program as it upgrades its Bewakoof Tribe with new and exclusive launches for the club members. Sharing the platform’s festive plans further, Prabhkiran Singh, Founder CEO, Bewakoof.com said, “Post pandemic, we saw a strong recovery and growth in certain categories like casual wear and leisurewear because of customers staying at home and with the pandemic slowing down, we expect a strong recovery in categories like ethnic wear, bags, accessories, etc in the festive season ahead. We’re also looking to capitalise on winter wear more this year than usual with winter around the corner and have put in investments accordingly. We expect our brand sales to be Rs 120 crore for the festive quarter.” For Bewakoof, the northern and western markets see the highest demand, followed by West Bengal and Assam because of Durga Puja. Currently, over 6 million customers visit Bewakoof.com every month. Singh told us that the festive season serves as a crucial window in the year for new customer acquisition and bringing back customers that haven’t shopped again for a while. The platform is also planning on increasing its marketing spends this festive. “For this year, 15% of our total marketing budget will be spent for the upcoming festive season.” We’re in the process of rebranding Bewakoof in the next 1-2 months and we’ll have a new look, logo, tagline along with a new set of celebrities that will endorse Bewakoof so we’re excited to roll this out and create buzz around it along with backing it up with top-funnel marketing investments. We plan to go heavy on top-funnel marketing investments starting October,” said Singh. E-retail platform OLX has upped its UI to woo its customers, digitising the entire process of online retailing, including verification of all its premium items. OLX Autos launched a verified inventory of cars with a new interface, which provides a detailed history of the car right from the ownership period all the way up to the service history of the car, and access to a host of financing options and after-sales products like insurance and warranty. As a result, OLX has witnessed a surge in demand for pre-owned cars. Sapna Arora, CMO, OLX India said, “Green shoots are already visible in the used car retail segment. The demand for pre-owned cars has been 25% higher than the pre-Covid levels while there has been an 82% plus growth in demand for pre-owned smartphones. Our goods category has also witnessed a strong rebound, as demand and supply have gone up by an average of 68% and 25%, respectively, compared to pre-Covid levels. The upcoming festival season is important for us as we expect the gap to be narrowing down between pre and post-Covid levels. There has been a strong uptake of e-commerce across regions, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, with consumers there making the greatest shift to online shopping. We will continue to focus on the pre-owned auto segment and are expecting to surpass the demand this festive season.” At an industry level, Arora told us that e-commerce players are leveraging on hyper-personalisation to create individualised experiences on the platform and AI-powered chatbots are being implemented by the online retailers to bring customers close to an offline retail experience with a high engagement rate. Sharing OLX’s plan, Arora added, “This festive season we plan to use innovative solutions via relevant messaging at different levels of the retail journey. Our consumer base is growing organically. During this year’s lockdown, a lot of people moved online and we saw growth, about 30% more daily active users (DAUs) from our previous pre-Covid peak. In the festive season, our huge inventories across segments will contribute to increasing the DAU’s on the platform.” As per Nielsen India’s E-commerce Consumer Panel (E-Analytics Solution), there was a double-digit increase in average spend of online shoppers for electronics and accessories (39%), mobile and accessories (12%), and fashion, including apparel, footwear, and accessories (10%) after the pandemic. Appliances (e.g.TV, WM, refrigerators, etc.) also saw notable shopper spending increase at 9%. E-commerce giant Amazon is also ramping up its product range for the festive season. “Together with thousands of small &amp; medium business and brand partners, we continue to offer our customers the widest selection, convenience, and fast delivery. We are humbled by how millions of Indian customers have made us a part of their daily lives. Also, customers continue to believe that online shopping is the safest way to shop which has been reflecting in all the recent events of Amazon like Prime Day 2021, Great Freedom Festival, Rakhi Store, Onam store and so on. This festive season is not a normal one for reasons we all know and our success metric would be focused on how we can make our sellers successful. Customers can look forward to shopping from a wide selection of products across categories like Home &amp; Kitchen, Fashion &amp; Beauty, Appliances and Smartphones, Grocery essentials and more from the comfort and safety of their homes," said an Amazon India spokesperson. This growth trajectory of e-commerce platforms in India testifies how customers are increasingly recognising the importance of comfort shopping within closed doors, and after seeing their businesses take a plunge in the first three months of the lockdown, more and more sellers are also coming online.

This festive season, e-commerce platforms are betting big on Tier II and III markets, which are likely to contribute $150 million to e-commerce growth this year

<ul><li><ul><li>Cultural diplomat and author <keyword id="182794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amish-Tripathi" source="Orion">Amish Tripathi</keyword>’s new book <keyword id="14079627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="War-of-Lanka" source="Orion">War of Lanka</keyword> sold six and a half million copies within two weeks of launch. </li><li>War of Lanka also saw India’s first Metaverse launch for a book, where an augmented reality filter was uploaded on Instagram for users. </li><li>India has become wealthier post 1991 and the emergence of ‘real’ India is inspiring films based on myths, says Tripathi. </li></ul> </li></ul>From the time he left his banking job to become a full-time writer in 2011, Amish Tripathi has attempted to give Indian deities human-like attributes through his take on myths. In his books, deities get angry, make human mistakes and even poke fun at each other. Director Shekhar Kapur, who is making a web series on Tripathi’s <keyword id="810431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiva-Trilogy" source="Orion">Shiva trilogy</keyword>, called him ‘India’s literary popstar’. Tripathi’s first trilogy on deity Shiva became the fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history. His most recent book ‘War of Lanka’ has already sold six and a half million copies and is currently under reprint. What makes his books popular is not just the content but also his marketing hooks. He roped in marketing agency Think WhyNot to launch an augmented reality filter on Instagram for the ‘War of Lanka’. Custom merchandise or making the first music album in Indian publishing history for ‘The Oath of the Vayuputras’ – the third book in his Shiva Trilogy – are some other marketing examples. The author of seven books encapsulating the stories of Ram, Raavan, Sita and Shiva, Tripathi talks to Business Insider India about topics ranging from the importance of myths to the impact of the pandemic on the publishing industry. Currently serving as a cultural diplomat as head of the Nehru Center in London, Tripathi also shares his take on the real India. <keyword id="14491960" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UK-Prime-Minister-Rishi-Sunak" source="Orion">UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak</keyword> invited you to 10 Downing Street, how was the experience? Oh, it was very nice. It was a small get-together in 10 Downing Street, a celebration of Diwali. He had got people from the local Swami Chinmaya Mission to read a prayer. We did a proper lighting of the lamp with traditional rituals. It was also very nice to see so many native White British and other communities in attendance, celebrating a Hindu/Jain/Sikh festival with warmth and happiness. It's been almost a month since War of Lanka has been released. How has the response been? I will be honest. Prior to the launch of the book, I was a little nervous, quite nervous, actually, for various reasons. One, it was a completely new publisher and a new relationship. Secondly, Harper just had a few months post the contract signing to get the book out in the market. To bring the book out in just three-four months is difficult… I thought they did a very good job. Third was the pandemic, which had hit the publishing industry badly, and many bookstores and publishing houses had shut down. Since the distribution itself was shrinking, sales would be difficult. Lastly, since I also have a diplomatic job in the UK, I did not have that much time for the book tour. Normally, my book tour would spread out over three-four months, but now I only had three-four weeks; and I had to cover 14 cities across India in that time. But despite these constraints, War of Lanka is breaking records. It is selling even faster than Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta. And all my previous book sales have also shot up. I can’t thank my readers enough for their consistent love and support. I am curious to know why you haven't written about Hanuman, a Shiva incarnation, especially after having dedicated separate books to Ram, Ravan and Sita? I might take that up actually. Lord Hanuman is a very fascinating character and represents loyalty, having a code and staying true to it, no matter what. That's what makes him worth respecting and worshiping. There is a separate spin-off story in mind that I have for Lord Hanuman. And one I hope to take up after some time. There will also be a story on Guru Vashishta and Guru Vishwamitra and how their relationship turned from friendship to enmity. People say youngsters don’t read as different forms of medium are competing for attention. Why do you think your book has struck a chord with the readers? Is it because of your standout marketing techniques as with a metaverse launch of the book? The metaverse campaign was very innovative, yes. And I am very grateful to Sangram Surve and his Think WhyNot agency for putting this together in association with Meta. Also, I think this assumption that the youth don't read is, frankly, a judgmental approach. The idea that today’s youth have low IQ, low attention spans, and only want to entertain themselves with flaky things is just plain silly. One person can have different tastes. I like thought-provoking movies like Schindler’s List or Inception, but I also like the suspension-of-brains movies of Salman Khan. The youth are like that as well. By the way, a vast majority of my readers are young. Second when it comes to marketing, social media has made word of mouth very powerful. The opinion of critics matters little now as compared to a decade ago. There are movies that are very well marketed that have been super flops. And a movie that had almost minimal marketing spends, like Kantara, was a massive hit. At the heart of it all, it has to be a good product, be it a movie or a book. If it's not a good product, no matter how much marketing you do, it's not going to work. If there is no depth in the movie or the book, if there's nothing to talk about, then word-of-mouth will be poor. A cult book has to be thought-provoking and initiate conversations. I myself tried the AR filters on Instagram and I came out to be on Raavan’s army. It would interest you to know that while many modern Indians think Raavan is Tamilian or Lankan, this may not necessarily match up to ancient texts. When you study ancient texts or folk traditions, it is revealed Raavan was born close to Delhi, a little ahead of Noida. One of the oldest temples of Raavan is situated there. He was not the original ruler of Lanka. The original ruler was Kubaer. Raavan deposed Kubaer and took over Lanka. Will you be venturing into writing about any other epic like Mahabharat? I do have various ideas. Let's see where life takes me. There is a fifth book that will join the Shiva Trilogy and the Ramachandra series called the <keyword id="15501176" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rise-of-Meluha" source="Orion">Rise of Meluha</keyword>. But that will be released many years later. Is there a reason why Sita was portrayed as aggressive and militant in your book Sita-Warrior of Mithila? Was this because it has been written from a male perspective? There is a difference between being militant and being strong. Goddess Durga is not militant but she is strong. The image of Goddess Sita in the minds of modern urban Indians is largely inspired from a 1980s television series. In the original Valmiki Ramayana, Sita is portrayed in a much stronger form. And in the Adbhut Ramayan, also credited to Valmiki ji, Sita Maa is the one who kills the elder, more powerful Raavan. In ancient times, Indian women were seen as powerful with their own agency. We had women who ruled large empires like Rani Prabhavatigupta and Rani Rudramadevi. We had women Rishis (roughly the equivalent of Abrahamic prophets and messiahs). We even had women who founded universities. Frankly, our ancestors would be disappointed at how badly we, in modern India, treat women. We have been hearing about the Shiva trilogy for quite some time now. Is it expected soon? These are early days as we just started work on it. So let's see how it comes out. But we'll make announcements in the future. Coming to Indian cinema, there has been a shift in the portrayal of stories. Films are being inspired by myths like in Adipurush, Thank God, Ram Sethu, Ponniyan Selvan. Why do you think there is such a shift? Post 1991 India has become wealthier and the emergence of the real India is inspiring the demand for such stories. There is a real India that was always there, just that they didn't have money to form a big market. That is the India outside of the elite areas of our big cities. This is an India that is very deeply rooted in our ancient traditions and culture. And now, there are many citizens from the real India who have now risen because of economic growth over the last 30 years. A recent IMF report had said over 450 million Indians have been pulled out of poverty just in the last 10 years. And economic growth is creating a new consumer class. Smaller budget movies are making more money than big Hindi film movies because I think in many ways, Telugu, Kannada and Tamil movies are more rooted in the real India. This is something perhaps the Hindi film industry will pick up overtime. A Hindi film producer told me an interesting analysis. He felt that perhaps the Hindi film industry had become too elitist – he used the term ‘focused on Pali Hill, and South Mumbai and also perhaps, London &amp; New York’. He said that we should forget that there is a real India outside of Pali Hill and South Mumbai. And that is the main market for Indian movies. What does real India mean to you? Perhaps those who are more comfortable in Mangalore or Varanasi than in London, I think that's the real India. So, someone like you or me… My family’s roots are in Kashi and I was born in Mumbai; so I know English, Hindi, and some Marathi. But I can go to a Lord Shiva temple in Thrissur, Kerala. And I’ve been there actually, four-five years ago. I don’t understand Malayalam, but my books, by God's grace, do well in Malayalam. There were many out there who recognized me because many of them had read my books. But we couldn’t communicate well with each other because most of them there didn’t know English or Hindi, and I didn’t know Malayalam. And yet, when we started chanting and praying to Lord Shiva, we felt connected. I felt at home. That to me is the real India. Where we feel at home. Now, we may also get along with Western people, but essentially, where is home for us? For me, the real India is home. You began your journey as a writer in 2010. How has the scene of Indian publishing and marketing changed since then? This is the best and worst of times. Earlier the definition of bestseller was selling 5,000 to 10,000 books. Today a bestseller should sell at least 40,000 to 50,000 copies. There are some authors whose books sell in the hundreds of thousands. And few, such as Chetan and me, who are lucky enough for our books to sell in the millions. But on the negative side, GST has really hit the industry. I have myself appealed often to the government if they could give some relief on this, because we are a very tiny industry. Books have a positive impact culturally but in terms of revenue, we are very small. Second, piracy is hurting us a great deal. Many bookstores are suffering hard times as well because rental costs have shot up and piracy has hit them. Books in terms of price to space ratio are not as high as compared to jewelry or mobile phones, so high rental costs often make bookstore unviable. How do you think mythology is relevant in today's society? Indians often confuse myth with mithya or untruth. The Indian word for it would be Itihas or Kavya or Purana. The English word myth comes from the Greek word mythos, which means a story hiding a philosophical truth. I try to explore philosophies that I think are worth learning. Rather than making it a pedantic nonfiction philosophy textbook, if you try and bring it across through a story, you might have a greater chance of having an impact. There are various philosophies from our ancients that are worth learning. There is a line which I love, Ati Sarvatra Varjayet i.e. extremism of any kind should be avoided. But if you see the western approach, it is almost like extremism should be followed, always. For example, in the West, fighting for women’s rights gets translated into hatred for men. How's that good for society? I try to explore many of these philosophies through my books. What are the choices that we make? You will find that cultures which celebrate myths tend to be much more wise and liberal, intuitively liberal. You have celebrated devotees of both Vishnu and Shiva in your books. How do you strike a balance between the two? This so-called competition between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu is relatively modern. The Indian way is we are comfortable with multiple truths and we realise that the source is unity. One of the thousand names of Lord Vishnu listed in Vishnu Shahasranaam, which is chanted by many Vaishnavas (devotees of Lord Vishnu) regularly, is Shiva. On the other hand, many Shaivites (devotees of Lord Shiva) know the 1008 names of Lord Shiva that are listed in many of the found in the Shaivite puranas. And one of the names listed for Lord Shiva is Vishnu. So they are One and the Same. This competition is more between unwise devotees and should be avoided.

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