In a country where people believe in 330 million gods, it’s not unusual to find some rather peculiar deities. About 50km from Jodhpur in India, along National Highway 65, you’ll find a temple just like the thousands of small temples across the country. What sets this temple apart is its main deity, a 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet Motorcycle.
Although this temple is officially named as Om Banna temple, it is more popularly known as Bullet Baba Mandir. Everyday hundreds of travelers, visit this temple to take blessings from ‘Bullet Baba’ for a safe journey. The locals believe the Bullet Baba is the guarding deity of all travelers ensuring their safety.
The legend of this unusual deity goes back to 1998. While traveling from Pali to Chotila on his Royal Enfield Bullet, Om Singh Rathore met with a fatal accident. He succumbed to death on the spot. After the accident, the local police hauled his bike to the police station. Strangely, the next day the bike went missing from the station and magically reappeared on the site of the accident. Thinking it was a prank, the police, once again, took the bike back to the station. But this time, they tied the bike with chains, emptied its fuel tank, and deflated its types. Despite all this security, the bike was again found at the accident spot the next morning.
The story of the ‘teleporting’ bike spread like wildfire and soon became a legend. The bike was soon permanently moved to the accident site and small temple was built. The magical motorcycle adorned with garlands is encased in glass behind a bust of Om Singh Rathore.
The locals believe Rathore’s spirit still resides in the motorcycle. There even several instances when, locals claim, that his spirit saved travelers in trouble. After these instances, the temple’s fame spread farther and farther and the number of devotees and tourists kept increasing.
The temple even has its own priest who conducts prayers in the morning and evening and takes care of the temple. Devotees come bearing bottles whiskey and sprinkle it on Rathore’s bust as offering. Women pray for their husbands’ safety and protection by tying red prayer strings, bangles, and colorful pieces of cloth around the shrine.
For those who love all things unusual, Om Banna temple is a must visit.
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Tags: Asia India Jodhpur Rajasthan Temples
