FCB Ulka and Times of India are changing the 400 years old tradition

Global campaign by FCB Ulka and Times of India unites women in India which were excluded from traditional celebration of Shindoor Khela ritual for 400 years.

FCB Ulka, along with Times of India, has launched the second leg of  #NoConditionsApply campaign. The campaign has become viral and is creating waves across the country through social media and press, already surpassing one million online views.

#NoConditionsApply campaign aims to change Shindoor Khela tradition which is celebrated on the last day of the Durga Puja Hindu festival that celebrates the goddess Durgu. During this custom, married women come together to color each other with vermillion, the symbol of a bride’s pride, and to celebrate their marital status. This ritual unites only married women, while others – namely single women, divorcees and widows, as well as the gay and transgender community – are forced to look on, uninvited. The fact is that every progressive, inclusive thought is as powerful as a ritual, especially in countries such as India, where rituals play an important social role.

Although the Shindoor Khela ritual for #NoConditionsApply campaign was held in Kolkata, the goal for the message of community empowerment is to be heard all over the world, not just in India.

Watch a powerful short film below.