Mumbai:
Their advertising may be banned in Maharashtra, but come Navratri the tobacco spread is hard to match. They are the biggest sponsors of mandals that attract lakhs of people every day.
But something has changed this year.
Of the over 400 Navratri mandals in Mumbai, 25 have chosen to say no to tobacco sponsorship this year. It's a small number but that's a start.
"We tell people that advertising is banned, but by allowing companies to put up posters all over harms the community," said Mayuri Sawant, a volunteer from Smoke Free Mumbai.
The campaign of Smoke Free Mumbai has inspired a shift. But for most saying no remains difficult, as almost 20 percent revenues come from tobacco.
"They bring in a lot of money, and that is a something the big mandals are always looking for. No one bothers about the social angle. But we have decided not to take their money. So many tobacco companies have come to us, but we have said no," said Kamlakar Keluskar, a mandal organiser.