The government-backed online marketplace, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), is adding spiritual services to its offerings. Vama.app, which offers virtual pujas, temple darshans, rituals, and astrology consultations, is joining ONDC. This expands the range of spiritual services available on the platform.
Spiritual service providers like Iskcon and Hari Bol are already available on ONDC.
Vama.app, backed by Wavemaker Partners, joins ONDC as both a buyer and seller. This allows them to reach a wider audience by offering their services through ONDC’s network.
Manu Jain, co-founder of the New Delhi-based startup, says they currently have 400,000 monthly users. Jain aims to double this number using the ONDC platform.
“ONDC has a reach across 3,000 odd apps where Vama’s services can be sold,” Jain said. “The roll out is in a phased manner… We will go live with a few apps first and then move on to other apps,” he said.
Vama.app, launched in 2020, boasts partnerships with over 250 temples. The platform also boasts a network of more than 300 astrologers for consultations.
Interest in spiritual and religious apps has skyrocketed recently. Consumers and investors alike are taking notice of this booming market. The pandemic accelerated a shift towards online services, and with a growing population seeking spiritual fulfillment, apps offering spiritual and devotional services have flourished.
T Koshy, managing director and chief executive of ONDC, said the network aims to become “a one-stop shop where users can avail services for everyday needs right from commerce to spiritual.”
The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has reported a significant surge in orders for July. The platform processed 12 million orders, peaking at approximately 430,000 daily transactions. Notably, the mobility sector accounted for 4.4 million of these orders.
ONDC’s network has expanded rapidly, encompassing 630,000 sellers and service providers across 600 cities. The platform’s delivery reach extends to 1,200 cities nationwide.
