Case Study: How Mangaldeep used a sensory tunnel to make a traditional ritual relevant for a new generation

To introduce its new Dhuno Cups, the brand Mangaldeep executed an experiential campaign during the 2025 Durga Puja festival in Kolkata. The initiative centered on a multi-sensory installation where attendees could digitally engage with the components of the traditional Dhuno ritual, use motion-sensing technology for a virtual prayer, and receive a product sample. The core objective was to educate consumers on this modern format by connecting the familiar cultural practice with a convenient product, aiming to create awareness and establish a new product sub-category within a traditional market.

Category Introduction

The Indian incense industry is one of the most culturally rich yet highly fragmented categories, with hundreds of regional players and deep-rooted traditions guiding consumer choice. While devotion remains at its heart, evolving lifestyles and changing consumer expectations have prompted the need for innovation—products that blend ritual authenticity with modern convenience.

One such evolution has emerged in the form of Dhuno Cups—a ready-to-use format that preserves the sanctity of age-old rituals of purification, while offering a more convenient, refined experience. As consumers seek products that fit seamlessly into their daily routines without compromising emotional depth, this sub-category represents the perfect convergence of heritage and modernity.

Brand Introduction

Mangaldeep, a leading brand in the devotional space, has long played the role of an enabler of devotion—helping consumers connect deeply with their faith through fragrance. Guided by its philosophy of “Dil se karo baat, Bhagwan ke saath”, Mangaldeep’s mission is to elevate everyday prayer moments into soulful experiences.

Summary

For Durga Puja 2025, Mangaldeep transformed Kolkata’s festive fervor into a first-of-its-kind immersive experience at Singhi Park Pandal. Using sensor-based interactive LED technology, life-sized Dhuno cups, and the authentic fragrance of Bengal’s sacred ritual, the brand created a multi-sensory “Mangaldeep Tunnel.” This activation beautifully merged technology and tradition, allowing devotees to experience the same rituals, now in a refined, contemporary form.

Problem Statement / Objective

Despite the cultural familiarity of Dhuno, the concept of ready-to-use Dhuno Cups was still nascent in Bengal. The brand’s twin objectives were:

1. Category Creation: Build awareness and credibility for Dhuno Cups among consumers in Bengal.

2. Consumer Education: Reinforce the idea that Mangaldeep Dhuno Cups preserve the authentic ritual of purification while making it modern, convenient, and accessible—rooted in rituals, made for today.

The challenge was to achieve this amid intense category clutter and short consumer attention spans during the festive season.

Brief

Create an engaging and educational brand experience at the largest Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, designed to immerse visitors in the essence and heritage of Dhuno — an integral element of Bengali devotion. The installation should help visitors understand the cultural and spiritual significance of Dhuno, trace its evolution into the modern cup form, and allow them to experience the fragrance of devotion firsthand through an interactive and sensorial setup.

The experience should seamlessly blend tradition and innovation, showcasing how Mangaldeep has preserved the sacred ritual of offering Dhuno while making it more convenient for modern devotees. Through visual storytelling, aromatic experiences, and engaging touchpoints, the activation should celebrate the role of Dhuno in Bengali puja traditions and highlight Mangaldeep’s commitment to keeping these practices alive in a contemporary way.

The overall objective is to make every visitor feel emotionally connected to the act of offering Dhuno — not just as a ritual, but as a symbol of purity, devotion, and continuity of faith — while positioning Mangaldeep as the enabler of modern devotion rooted in heritage.

Creative Idea

To bring alive the soul of Bengal’s traditional dhunuchi naach in a modern way, the Mangaldeep team conceptualized the “Tunnel of Devotion” — an interactive experience that invited consumers to digitally create their own Dhuno Cups, perform a sensor-based Arti to Maa Durga, and take home a real cup as a token of blessing and discovery.

The idea blended ritual, technology, and emotion, symbolizing how devotion can evolve without losing its essence.

Challenges

• Educating consumers about a new product format in a culturally sensitive way.

• Balancing authenticity (preserving traditional cues) with modernity (using tech-led engagement).

• Standing out amid high-decibel festive activations and limited on-ground time.

Execution

On-ground Activation (Singhi Park, Kolkata | Sept 28 – Oct 2, 2025)

Visitors entered the Mangaldeep tunnel greeted by the aroma of traditional Dhuno, emanating from life-sized Dhuno Cups that established immediate cultural credibility.

The experience unfolded in three stages:

1. Create Your Cup Digitally: Visitors selected ingredients—Camphor, Coconut Husk, and Herbs—on an interactive LED screen to craft their personalized Dhuno Cup.

2. Perform a Sensor-Based Arti: Using hand-motion sensors, participants performed a virtual Dhunachi dance to worship Goddess Durga, making the ritual come alive through movement and technology.

3. Take Blessings Home: At the end of the experience, an automated dispenser released a real Dhuno Cup along with a QR code linking to Blinkit, enabling instant purchase and continued engagement.

Promotion and Amplification 

1. Strategy: To amplify the reach of this initiative, the brand executed a comprehensive on-ground amplification strategy that included an influencer-led activation, driving engagement and conversations during the event. Post the celebration, the momentum was sustained through strategic media engagements across key platforms in Kolkata, ensuring a well-rounded amplification that captured both on-ground excitement and digital resonance for the activity.

2. Social Media & Digital

• Amplified through a Kolkata-based influencer campaign that garnered 4.5 million views and 3%+ engagement rates.   

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• The brand’s owned social media platforms further showcased behind-the-scenes footage, visitor reactions, and the spiritual essence of the tunnel.

Results

Quantitative

• 6770+ interactive experiences completed across four days (nearly 90% of maximum possible throughput given each interaction was a 45 second experience)

• 5X increase in Dhuno Cup sales on Blinkit and Swiggy during the activation period compared to  same festive window last year. Dhun cups became a bestseller in the incense category in Kolkata in the Pujo season.

• 6 million+ digital impressions, driving awareness and interest in Bengal and beyond.

• The campaign garnered over 30 earned media features across leading outlets in the Kolkata market, achieving an estimated reach of nearly 50 lakh audiences.

Qualitative

• The activation became one of the most talked-about experiences at Singhi Park Pandal.

• Visitors—especially the younger audience—responded with enthusiasm, blending joy, pride, and nostalgia.

• Demonstrated that rituals, when reimagined meaningfully, can bridge generations and revive cultural pride

Key Learning

A culturally rooted ritual, when expressed through modern technology, doesn’t lose its soul—it gains a new generation of believers. The success of the activation reaffirmed that authenticity + innovation = emotional connection.

Mr Rohit Dogra, Divisional CEO of Matches and Agarbatti Division at ITC  said, "At ITC Mangaldeep, we believe that devotion evolves with the devotee, and our endeavor has always been to keep that connection alive through meaningful innovation. With the Dhuno Cup activation, our aim was to bring to life the soul of Bengal’s most cherished ritual, transforming it into an experience that people could see, feel, and connect with. By blending technology with tradition, we sought to make this sacred ritual more accessible to today’s generation while preserving its deep-rooted cultural essence. Through this initiative, we didn’t just showcase a product; we celebrated the fragrance, emotion, and devotion that lie at the heart of Bengal’s spiritual identity.”