Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2025 to become the new stage for influencer-brand collabs

New Delhi: After the Maha Kumbh Mela showed how spiritual gatherings can double up as cultural content goldmines, the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is emerging as the next high-impact playground for India’s influencer economy. 

This year, brands are taking a more structured and sentiment-aware approach, backed by Ahmedabad-based experiential agency Chaipaani, which will manage branding, sponsorships, and on-ground activities during the Yatra, which draws over 1.5 crore devotees each year.

As brands warm up to the power of cultural moments, the Rath Yatra is becoming a fresh hotspot for influencer-led storytelling, brand activations and digital buzz.

Shruti Chaturvedi, Founder of Chaaipani, revealed that the Rath Yatra presents a Rs 200 crore advertising and marketing opportunity, with a total trade value estimated at Rs 5,500 crore over the nine-day period.

"This is not just a spiritual gathering; it's a high-density, high-emotion event with global resonance," Chaturvedi said. "For brands, it’s a chance to align with trust, devotion, and cultural identity."

Much like the influencer surge at the Kumbh, where content creators were seen navigating rituals, crowds and sponsored posts, Rath Yatra will see a curated group of travel, culture, and devotional influencers participating in brand-led storytelling. “We’ve onboarded influencers from across the country, not for loud product pushes, but for devotional narratives that subtly carry the brand message,” Chaturvedi noted.

The agency is matchmaking creators with brands seeking digital amplification for their physical activations—be it hydration kiosks, branded t-shirts, or beach installations. “We’re not monetising this piece,” said Chaturvedi. “But we are gatekeeping it. Influencers must come as devotees first, creators second.”

She told BuzzInContent.com that influencers can approach Chaipaani if they aim to do brand collaborations during the event. 

Learning from controversies at the Kumbh, where some creators were called out for tone-deaf content, Chaipaani is enforcing strict ethical guidelines. Brand creatives must go through district administration clearance, and no hoarding can be taller than the Jagannath temple. “Lord Jagannath will always be bigger than any brand,” Shruti affirms.

Much like the Maha Kumbh Mela, which recently saw a rush of influencer-generated content, the Rath Yatra will also see creators from across India invited to participate. "We’re onboarding travel, culture and religious influencers, matching them with brands that want digital visibility for their on-ground activations," Chaturvedi said. "However, every influencer must respect the sanctity of the space—this isn’t an ad mela."

“We are helping brands amplify their presence without compromising on sentiment or spiritual integrity,” Chaturvedi added. Influencer content will include brand integrations, but approvals are tightly regulated by district and temple authorities.

Brands from FMCG, wellness, BFSI, and social impact sectors are already signing up for activations ranging from hydration stalls, beach installations, and vastra seva (clothing donations) to branding on ambulances and t-shirts. 

The 2025 edition of the Rath Yatra is set to commence on June 27, when the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra make their journey from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha.

With spiritual and cultural festivals becoming part of annual media strategies, Rath Yatra may just mark the next chapter in the evolving playbook of India’s influencer economy—one where bhakti meets branded content.