ITC Ltd. Aashirvaad Atta’s responsible Durga Puja celebrations receive overwhelming participation from Kolkata homemakers; create record for ‘India’s Largest Digital Picture Mosaic of Maa Durga’

 Aashirvaad Atta from ITC Ltd. added a unique and enthusiastic zeal to the customary festive revelry and took Durga Puja celebrations to newer heights this year. Aashirvaad Atta, a household name which is trusted by millions of homemakers, created a unique record for ‘India’s Largest Digital Picture Mosaic of Maa Durga' in the Indian Book of Records with the love and participation from 16,772 participants. In continuation of its endeavor to celebrate the multifaceted woman and her vitality, Aashirvaad Atta extended its campaign ‘Eta Amaar Maa’ to launch ‘Amaar Ma, Amaar Durga’, for Durga Puja this year.

The campaign, ‘Amaar Ma, Amaar Durga’ aimed at celebrating the multiple avatars and the relentless energy of women and was brought to life through a myriad of activities during Durga Puja. Among the many activities, the one which received an overwhelming response and saw enthusiastic participation was the installation depicting modern connotations of a woman’s strengths and her abilities to multitask, set-up at photo-booths at popular Kolkata pandals of Bagh Bazar, Singhee Park, Dumdum Park and Barisha Club. Even on social media, encouraging participation was received with over 2000+ participants sending their pictures from the comforts of their homes. To further ensure the safety of devotees at large, whilst enabling wider, inclusive participation, Aashirvaad set-up photo-opportunity zones across select Resident Welfare Associations in Kolkata and brought the celebrations closer home.

The overarching thought of celebrating mothers, who are the closest avatars of Maa Durga in this modern day world, resonated with the community. This included pandal organizers and leading radio channels that joined hands with Aashirvaad Atta to help carry the sentiment across to a wider audience through participation in the ‘Amaar Ma, Amaar Durga’ initiative/ campaign.

Spreading the warmth of the festive season while binding traditions and people together, Aashirvaad also facilitated celebrations for senior citizens at two old-age homes - Bidhan Ananda Ashram and Shanti Nilay Welfare Society. With the residents away from friends and family and choosing to not step out in the current situation, Aashirvaad re-created the pandal experience in these old age homes. A thoughtful line-up of activities including live streaming of Anjali from Baghbazaar Sarbojonin on Ashtami, a live Dhunuchi Dance event which the elderly sat back and enjoyed and relishing the traditional bhog, ensured that this Durga Puja was a memorable one for the residents of the old age homes.

Commenting on the initiative, an ITC spokesperson said, "Aashirvaad Atta understands the significance of Durga Puja celebrations for the people of Kolkata. As a responsible brand, our endeavour this year was to celebrate the spirit of motherhood that comes very close to the avatars of Maa Durga. Hence, we took the onus of enabling the citizens of Kolkata to enjoy the festivities responsibly while adhering to all the necessary social distancing norms. Through a gamut of interesting activities that united people across Kolkata in spirit, be it at the pandals, RWAs, old age homes et al. we were able to keep the festive spirit alive in our unique manner, as intended. A heartfelt thank you to the Kolkatans who helped us in making the celebrations a huge success. Special mention to all the people who came forward to celebrate the multifaceted avatars of the homemakers and in the process, ensuring we create yet another unique record in the India Book of Records.”