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Amazon India is enhancing the experience of attendees at the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela by tackling a key challenge with an innovative solution. This major religious gathering, held every 12 years, will see millions of devotees converge in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, during January and February for the 45-day festival. In an effort to provide comfort to festivalgoers, Amazon India has introduced a unique initiative, transforming its signature cardboard packaging boxes into portable beds. These upcycled beds, available free of charge, are aimed at offering attendees much-needed rest during the event.
Amazon has partnered with the Maha Kumbh Mela authorities to identify crucial areas within the festival grounds for placement of these beds. A large portion will be allocated to the lost and found centre to support those in distress, while others will be distributed to the general public. Additionally, some beds will be provided to Kumbh Police Karmacharis and the Kumbh hospital. The initiative’s goal is to serve a wide range of attendees, ensuring comfort is accessible to as many people as possible.
“At Amazon India, innovation is at the heart of our mission to positively impact the communities we serve. Our association with the Maha Kumbh Mela emanates from this commitment. We strive to bring convenience, comfort and care to our customers every day through our iconic Amazon boxes, recognised by millions as a symbol of reliable service. By reimagining these boxes as beds, we saw an opportunity to address a real need for the event's attendees. It's not just about thinking outside the box – it's about transforming the box itself to make a tangible difference,” said Pragya Sharma, Director of Marketing at Amazon India.
To create these sturdy, functional beds, Amazon India collaborated with Ogilvy as their creative partner. Ogilvy worked with a specialised team of fabricators to develop the beds, ensuring their durability for the local environment and testing them for wear and tear.
“Amazon is synonymous with delivering joy, love, ease – across India. And at the Maha Kumbh, we are delivering comfort, to make the lives of attendees easy with Amazon box-beds. Nights at Maha Kumbh can get extremely cold, and at Ogilvy, working closely with our specialised Activation team, we decided to tackle this challenge with a unique innovation. Amazon’s familiar cardboard packaging boxes have been upcycled, compressed in layers and have been re-engineered to create sturdy, yet comfortable beds,” said Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer - Ogilvy India.
After the event, Amazon India will responsibly dispose of the unusable beds, while those in good condition will be donated to NGOs in the city.
