Proof of Display Standard — What Counts as Proof on PujaSathi
Three to four photographs, within 48 hours, for every booked position. What we verify, what causes removal, and how disputes are resolved — in 3 days for Verified advertisers.
Proof of Display Standard
Last updated: 2 September 2026
This page sets out exactly what proof a committee must provide after a festival, what we verify, and what an advertiser is entitled to.
It exists because "we displayed your banner" is a claim. Proof is a procedure. Nearly every complaint in festival sponsorship comes down to a brand not knowing whether its money bought anything real. This standard is our answer, and it is the reason we can release money to committees before the festival.
The short version
- At least 3 photographs per booked position. Four is better.
- Uploaded within 48 hours of the festival ending
- Taken during the festival, of this year, by the committee
- Advertisers have 7 days to raise a dispute
- Disputes are decided within 3 days for Verified advertisers, 5 working days otherwise
What a committee must submit
1. The wide shot — the branding in position, with enough surroundings to recognise the pandal. Proves where it was.
2. The legible shot — close enough that the brand name and logo are clearly readable. Proves what was displayed.
3. The context shot — the branding with visitors present. Proves it was up during the festival, not for five minutes at a photo session.
4. Recommended: a second-day shot — the same position on a different day. This single extra photograph resolves most disputes before they start, and it is the difference between proof that is accepted immediately and proof that has to be argued about.
The rules
- Photographs must be taken during the festival days — not before setup, not after teardown
- Upload original camera files within 48 hours of the festival ending
- No stock images. No AI-generated images. No photographs from a previous year or another venue.
- The committee confirms explicitly that the photographs are of this year's festival
A phone camera is completely fine. We are not asking for professional photography. We are asking for honest evidence.
What we verify
- Does the venue match? Is the pandal the same one shown in the listing, at the stated location?
- Is the position correct? Was the branding placed where it was sold, at roughly the size sold? Gate branding belongs on the gate.
- Do the dates hold up? Does the image data fall within the festival window?
- Is it internally consistent? Do the photographs look like the same place, on the same occasion?
Removal, not a warning
Two failures result in immediate removal from PujaSathi, without a warning and without relisting:
- Failing or refusing to provide proof photographs. Not providing proof is treated as failure to deliver the sponsorship, not as an administrative oversight.
- Submitting photographs that are not genuine — a previous year's, another committee's, a stock image, or a generated image.
In both cases the advance already paid becomes immediately recoverable within 15 days, the advertiser is refunded in full, and the committee is barred from listing again.
We are deliberately severe about this. If one reused photograph ever reaches an advertiser undetected, nothing else on this platform means anything — and every honest committee listed here loses the credibility it earned. Protecting that is not bureaucracy. It is the product.
Correctable problems
Not every rejection is a removal. If the branding is partly obscured, a photograph is unclear, or a shot is missing, we tell the committee what is needed and give a reasonable chance to supply it. Genuine problems reported honestly — damage, weather, a delayed installation — are handled sympathetically. Silence is what we treat as failure.
What the advertiser gets
- All verified proof photographs in the booking record, downloadable
- 7 days from proof upload to raise a dispute
- A written decision within 3 days for PujaSathi Verified advertisers, or 5 working days otherwise
- A full refund if the branding was not displayed as agreed; a partial refund where partly delivered
While a dispute is open, the committee's remaining payout is held and any advance already released becomes recoverable if the dispute is upheld. Money does not move until the question is settled.
Becoming a Verified advertiser
Verification is free and takes two to three working days. Verified advertisers receive:
- Priority dispute resolution — 3 days instead of 5
- Access to promotional offers and discount codes, which are available only to verified businesses
- A verified badge shown to committees, which materially improves acceptance rates
- Priority access to high-demand positions in peak season
Offers and promotional codes are restricted to verified advertisers deliberately. Discounts attract abuse, and we would rather extend them to businesses we can identify than to anyone with an email address.
For committees: how to photograph your pandal well
Good proof photographs also make your next listing far more attractive, so ten minutes here is well spent:
- Shoot in daylight or under the pandal lights, not against a bright sky
- Stand back far enough to show the branding in context
- Take one frame where the brand name is readable from where you stand
- Include people — a crowd is evidence, and it makes the venue look alive
- Take more than you need, on more than one day
- Hold the phone horizontally for the wide shot
Frequently asked questions
What if it rains and the banner is damaged?
Photograph it, tell us immediately, and repair or replace it if you can. An honest report of a real problem is handled completely differently from silence.
What if the advertiser's artwork arrives late?
Tell us before the festival. Late artwork is the advertiser's responsibility and does not count against your committee.
Can I submit video instead?
Video is welcome in addition to the photographs, not instead of them.
Who sees my proof photographs?
The advertiser who booked, and PujaSathi. They are stored privately and are not published without your permission.
What if I miss the 48-hour window?
Contact us before it closes. A late upload with a reason is far better than a missing one — but repeated lateness affects your verification status and your advance rate.
Why this standard exists
Brands have historically avoided pandal sponsorship for one reason: they could not verify it. Committees lost sponsors for the same reason. A documented, enforced proof standard is what turns an informal favour into something a marketing department can approve — and what lets us pay committees before the festival rather than after.
**List your puja free** · **Read the payout policy** · **Browse festivals**
PujaSathi is a product of Tracetex 360 Innovations Pvt Ltd.