Puri: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday launched ITC’s Mangaldeep Lord Jagannath-themed Agarbatti (incense sticks), a joint initiative of ITC Mangaldeep, State Government-run Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
These Agarbattis are being manufactured by rural women SHGs through a tie up with ORMAS to provide them livelihood.
Patnaik who visited Puri to take stock of the preparations for the ensuing Rath Yatra scheduled on July 4 launched the ‘Mangaldeep Temple – Lord Jagannath’s Favourite Fragrances’ in the presence of SJTA Chief Administrator Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, ITC Agarbatti Business chief executive Ravi Rayavaram and SHG representatives.
The new Agarbatti offering from Mangaldeep is a first-of-its-kind innovation having dual-fragrance sticks, with two differently coloured parts in the same Agarbatti, and are made with Lord Jagannath’s favourite fragrances.
Each Agarbatti stick in this new pack has two sections – Tulsi and Neem on the top section and Kasturi and Chandan in the bottom section.
Each of these ingredients constitute fragrances derived from the favourite offerings of Lord Jagannath – Neem Wood is the primary ingredient in Puri’s Lord Jagannath idol that keeps the ‘deity immortal’, the idol is adorned with Tulsi Mala, Sandalwood is used to embalm the idol and Kasturi Paste is used as cosmetic adorn for the deity.
The inclusion of all these four auspicious ingredients in Mangaldeep’s new variant of agarbatti aims to recreate the aura of the PuriJagannath Temple in every puja at home.
Fast moving consumer goods major ITC Mangaldeep has tied up with the ORMAS to enable women empowerment by engaging rural women-based SHGs to manufacture the Agarbattis for the brand. The SJTA has also lent their valuable support towards this unique initiative.
