From ‘Punya Mati’ to Sculpting the idols of Maa Durga: Swiggy Brings Shonagachi to the Heart of Durga Puja

Oct 20: Swiggy (Swiggy Ltd, NSE: SWIGGY / BSE: 544285), India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, has unveiled ‘Ebar Amader Haathey Gora Ma’ campaign, bringing the women of Shonagachi together with master artisans from Kumartuli to sculpt their own Maa Durga idol this Durga Puja.

The campaign theme (‘Ebar Amader Haathey Gora Ma’) translates to ‘Mother Durga is shaped by our own hands’ referring to the centuries-old tradition of using punya mati (‘pure soil’) from red-light districts in crafting sacred Durga idols. It transforms this legacy as the women of Shonagachi actively co-create the idol of Maa Durga for the first time. Swiggy also celebrated Durga Puja by distributing bhog to the women of Shonagachi as a part of the initiative.

The initiative has been brought to life through a digital film that captures the journey of sculpting the idol of Maa Durga- from the first touch of clay to the making of the idol- while bringing forward the voices, emotions and aspirations of the women involved. The film has been directed by Emmy nominee director, Ronny Sen.

Elaborating on the initiative, Mayur Hola, VP- Brand, Swiggy shared, “Durga Puja is that time of the year when the community comes together to celebrate. celebrating together. Over the years, our Durga Puja campaigns have been designed to ensure we take the celebrations to a wider set - from delivering bhog to the elderly in 2023, taking Pujo to the villagers and Tiger Widows of the Sundarbans for the first time ever in 2024, to creating a mobile pandal serving special Pujo Bhog to street dogs in Kolkata last year. This year we went a step further and curated a campaign that aims to celebrate the heritage around Durga Puja. While the sacred tradition of punya mati has long connected communities like Shonagachi to Pujo preparations, this initiative deepens the bond by empowering the women to shape the idol themselves, and captures this experience and the emotions that came with it.”

Alongside the social initiative, Swiggy launched Shrestho Pujo, its flagship interactive campaign, designed to blend culture, technology, and gamification. Live from October 16, customers can vote for their favourite pandal on the Swiggy app and stand a chance to win rewards worth upto Rs 100. The app features individual profiles of more than 50 pandals from across the city, showcasing their history, and idols through curated photos and details. The feature also brings virtual access for customers- especially seniors and those unable to pandal-hop physically- to experience the cultural richness.

Through these integrated cultural initiatives, Swiggy reinforces its evolution beyond a delivery app- emerging as a cultural companion during India’s most celebrated festivals.