Brands hitch a ride on Rath Yatra's AI bandwagon

Pulse Candy uses AI for Rath Yatra campaign

DS Group’s Pulse Candy has launched an AI-powered digital campaign titled ‘Jagannath Rath Yatra – The Pulse of India’. The film leverages artificial intelligence to depict the story of Lord Krishna’s transformation into Jagannath and the annual chariot procession. The campaign includes a video accompanied by a social media series featuring trivia about the Rath Yatra. The brand aims to engage audiences through a cultural narrative using technology. The initiative continues Pulse’s series of digital activations around traditional Indian festivals, using AI-generated visuals to capture large-scale religious events.

 

 

 

 

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Tata Power, Rediffusion launch AI-generated Rath Yatra film

Tata Power, in collaboration with Rediffusion, has released a digital film for Rath Yatra featuring visuals entirely created using AI. The video showcases Odisha’s sand-art traditions, recreated digitally to reflect the region’s cultural practices. The project was executed by Rediffusion’s AI innovation team RAIDS and marks another campaign exploring how artificial intelligence can be applied to traditional storytelling formats. The film is intended for digital platforms and aligns with Tata Power’s ongoing use of content-driven marketing around key cultural events.

Sunfeast offers cooling caps to pilgrims at Rath Yatra

Sunfeast Marie Light supported this year’s Puri Rath Yatra by distributing menthol-lined caps to devotees attending the festival. Named Surya Vardaan, the caps were designed to activate cooling effects under sunlight and were made using sandalwood and menthol elements. The initiative aimed to provide physical relief to pilgrims during the procession while tying in with the brand’s wheat-based positioning. Experience zones were set up for distribution, with actress Archita Sahu participating in the on-ground activity. The brand stated the gesture was part of its effort to combine utility with symbolic relevance.

Aashirvaad creates AI-powered darshan zone for Rath Yatra

Aashirvaad activated a tech-driven experience at this year’s Rath Yatra in Puri called Bhakti Pathe. Running from June 27 to July 5 near Bada Sankha More, the on-ground activation included gamified prasad preparation, AI-led visuals, and a holographic darshan of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. The initiative was designed to blend traditional rituals with digital formats to offer a personalised religious experience. Participants also received a custom photo filter as a takeaway. Aashirvaad’s campaign continues the brand’s focus on digital engagement during religious events tied to its core consumer base.