In a world where technology is becoming increasingly integrated into every aspect of our lives, it comes as no surprise that even religious practices are being digitized. The Trivedi family, living in the U.S., found themselves in search of a solution to practice their rituals and connect with their faith by visiting India’s sacred temples. This led them to discover Sri Mandir, an app that offers customized videos of ceremonial prayers and allows users to participate in prayers, make donations, and access devotional content virtually from their smartphones.
While the convenience of accessing devotional services and religious information through an app may seem appealing, it comes at a cost. The average monthly spend on Sri Mandir outside India is $100, making it a premium app that may not be accessible to everyone, especially those with a low budget. Despite the high cost, the app caters to a growing need among Hindus worldwide who seek peace, well-being, and better relationships through their religious practices.
Founded by serial entrepreneur Prashant Sachan, Sri Mandir’s parent company AppsForBharat aims to revolutionize the way devotional practices are conducted. Sachan, hailing from a village near Kanpur, recognized the gap in the market for organized and accessible devotional services, especially with the increasing internet penetration in rural India. By creating an app that connects users to their faith and temples, Sachan hopes to give devotion the attention it deserves in the digital age.
Since its inception in 2020, Sri Mandir has witnessed significant growth with over 30 million downloads and an expanding user base outside India, particularly in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and the Middle East. The app’s revenue model relies on small-ticket transactions made by users for prayers and donations, with 25% of its total revenue coming from international markets. Additionally, the app benefits priests by attracting more devotees to the temples, ultimately increasing their income.
Despite its success, Sri Mandir faces challenges such as the lack of physical presence and the divine ambiance that traditional temple visits offer. While the app caters to the needs of Indian-Americans seeking a connection to their roots, it falls short in providing the complete spiritual experience that physical temple visits provide. Moreover, the devotional app market in India is saturated with competitors like DevDham, Vama.app, and Utsav, posing a threat to Sri Mandir’s market dominance.
AppsForBharat’s recent Series B funding round aims to propel Sri Mandir towards capturing a larger market share and enhancing user experiences. The startup plans to introduce features such as religious tourism, partnerships with travel agencies for temple visits, and a tech stack for managing services at temples and historical sites. Additionally, the goal is to expand the temple network to 500 temples in the next 12 to 18 months, setting ambitious targets for growth and revenue generation.
While devotional apps like Sri Mandir offer convenience and accessibility for users seeking to connect with their faith, they also face challenges in replicating the spiritual experience of physical temple visits. The success of Sri Mandir lies in its ability to adapt to changing market dynamics, cater to user needs, and differentiate itself from competitors in the evolving landscape of digital devotional services.