Devotion and faith are extremely cultural and personal. The product feature introduced by Sri Mandir bridges the gap by introducing personalized deity representations, ensuring every devotee sees their god in a way that feels uniquely like the god they have been worshiping.
Across India, devotion is as diverse as the country. A single deity can have countless forms, each steeped in the cultural traditions, language, and regional practices of a community. Yet, digital platforms often fail to reflect these nuances, offering generic representations.
Recognizing this gap, Sri Mandir introduced a product feature that personalizes the deity representations to users' selected language and region, creating an experience that feels deeply personal and culturally authentic.
The product manager and the team are featured as one of Upraised's top 50 Game Changers in 2024.
The Problem: A One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Devotion
India is spiritually diverse, with each region worshipping the same deities in forms unique to their culture. However, existing digital devotional platforms often:
- Provide generic deity representations, overlooking cultural and regional nuances.
- Fail to capture the personal connection devotees feel when they see a form of their deity familiar to their traditions.
- Offer a standardized experience, leading to lower engagement and user retention.
Sri Mandir identified the need for a more personalized approach to digital devotion, one that celebrates India’s diversity while fostering a deeper spiritual connection.
The Solution: Personalized Deity Representations
The product founder transformed the devotional experience by introducing personalized deity depictions that adapt based on the user’s language and region preferences.
Key Features of the Personalization
- Dynamic Deity Avatars
- The visual representation of deities changes subtly to reflect regional traditions.
- For example, Ganesha’s trunk position and attire vary based on the selected language and region, aligning with local devotional practices.
2. Cultural Nuances at Scale
- The platform incorporates hundreds of variations to reflect the diverse ways deities are worshipped across India.
- These variations ensure that devotees see a representation of their faith that resonates deeply with their cultural identity.
. 3. Language Integration
- The app pairs personalized deity representations with language-based content, making sure that it gives a culturally aligned experience to the user.
Example of in-app personalization based on the Language: Hindi on the left and Marathi on the right
Impact: Transforming the Digital Devotional Experience
The introduction of personalized deity representations had a great impact on user engagement and retention:
Increased User Engagement
- Time spent on the app increased significantly as users explored the cultural nuances of their faith.
- The feature created a sense of discovery, as users connected with the platform in a way they hadn’t before.
Improved Retention Rates
- Users returned to the app more frequently, due to its ability to cater to their specific devotional preferences.
- The personalized experience increased loyalty and trust among devotees.
The Team Behind Product Feature
Founder & CEO: Prashant Sachan
Prashant, the founder of Sri Mandir created this feature. His objective was to create a truly personalized experience for devotees. For instance, Ganesha looks different in the south compared to the north of India and even the position of the trunk has different meanings.
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