That’s Strange - The Curious Case of Om Banna Temple

India is a land where you’ll not only see gods being worshiped but even trees and animals. But, I bet you’ve never seen a motorbike being worshipped, have you? Say what? That was my reaction too when I first discovered this strange but true fact.

Believe it or not but at the Om Banna Temple, motorbike is worshipped as a deity! No wonder, it left me amazed as I stood wide-mouthed seeing a tall, black Royal Enfield Bullet ornamented with flower garlands and shielded in a glass box.

Located in the Pali district of Chotila Village, almost 50 kilometres from Jodhpur, this temple is the star attraction for a traveller crossing National Highway 65 in Pali. Hundreds of people come here every day to offer liquor and pray for a safe journey.

A Mysterious Legend

Numbered 7773, I heard that locals started worshipping this motorbike 22 years ago. As I sat with the priest (yes, they have a priest too!) of the temple, Poonam Giri, who is the caretaker of the motorbike shrine, he willingly shared a strange legend behind the temple.

It so happened that in 1991, the owner of the motorbike, Om Singh Rathore (who belonged to a powerful Rajput family in Chotila) was riding back home from Pali when he hit a tree and fell in a ditch. He died on the spot and the police took his motorcycle to the Rohetgarh police station under their custody. The next morning, to their surprise, the motorbike was found lying at the accident spot.  Assuming that someone played mischief, the police emptied the fuel tank, chained the motorcycle and bought it back to the police station. But the same incident repeated itself. The chains were broken and the same motorbike mysteriously returned to the accident spot. When locals heard about this incredible incident, they believed that there was an unknown divine power behind all of this that must be acknowledged. It was then that they decided to make the mortorbike a shrine. Gradually, a small temple was built near that accident spot and as people came to know about it, they started visiting the temple to offer prayers to the owner and his motorbike. Soon, the temple came to also be known as Bullet Baba. That's Strange, isn’t it?

 

Seeing is Believing

I saw many devotees applying tilak and tying sacred thread around the handle of the motorbike. Ironically, the tree that spelt doom for Om Singh Rathore is now adorned with bangles and colourful scarves. I found it quite amusing to pray to something that had two wheels! Outside the temple, I found some kiosks selling Om Banna’s wedding pictures, albums and music cassettes. After all, Om Banna is considered no less than a God here.

 

So, the next time you’re in these parts of Rajasthan, don’t forget to stop for the blessings of Bullet Baba!

Crazy rats, land of dead, and now a godly Royal Enfield... I wonder if the absurdity of the world can be covered in one lifetime!