Bullet Baba temple in Rajasthan, a unique shrine where a vehicle is worshipped
Bullet Baba temple in Rajasthan is a unique shrine where a vehicle -- Royal Enfield Bullet 350 is worshipped as the God.
Bullet Baba temple in Rajasthan is a unique shrine where a vehicle — Royal Enfield Bullet 350 is worshipped as the God. The shrine is situated on the NH-62 Jodhpur-Pali Expressway, around 50 km away from Jodhpur and 20 km from Pali.
Also known as Om Banna Dham the Bullet Baba temple is visited by hundreds of people daily. Especially the travellers on this road visit here to get blessings for a safe journey.
Generally a God is worshipped in a temple. Yet, how come here a Bullet motorcycle is worshipped? And why people take it seriously and visit this shrine to pay their homage? To know answers to all these queries let us know the story behind origin of this temple.
Here is the story:
In the year 1988 on one fateful night, Om Singh Rathore, the son of a local leader was on his way to his native Chotila village from Bangdi. While he was riding his favourite Bullet motorcycle, a Royal Enfield 350 cc Bullet with registration number RNJ-7773 he somehow met an accident near Pali. The young man was killed on the spot in this accident.
As this was an accident, a Police case was registered and the Bullet motorcycle was seized and kept in the Police Station. However, to everybody’s astonishment, the Bullet motorcycle was found at the accident spot on the next day. It was believed that any miscreant might tried to steal the motorcycle from Police custody but had to leave it here. The vehicle was taken back to the Police station and this time special efforts were made. The Bullet motorcycle was tied with iron chains and the petrol tank was emptied. Yet, mysteriously, the vehicle again disappeared from the Police Station and it was found at the accident spot. This time not only Police, but the locals also came to know about the mysterious incident. It is said for the next few days also Police tried to keep the vehicle in the Police custody, but mysteriously it was found on the spot the next dawn.
Now, the locals interfered and a decision was taken to pay a token of respect to the man-machine love. This temple was erected at the spot where Om Singh Rathore had met the accident. The Bullet motorcycle was placed there and people started worshiping it.
Though it seems like a story, this is the story that is available behind origin of this temple. Surprisingly, it was found that after establishment of this Bullet Baba temple, number of accident on this road drastically fell. Hence, it was believed that Bullet Baba is providing safety to the riders and saves them from meeting any accident. On the other hand, it was also believed that people who would not stop or pay homage to this temple, may likely to meet an accident.
It is also believed that even today, Rathore’s spirit rides his motorcycle on the NH-62 Jodhpur-Pali highway where the accident took place and helps the distressed travellers.
On NH62 connecting Jodhpur and Ahmedabad, 53 kms before the town of Pali, stands a shrine without a god in residence!
And yet, every year, scores of people pay their respects and prayers to the deity – a 350 cc Royal Enfield Bullet (RNJ 7773)!
The crazy story of this shrine – pic.twitter.com/29SRgZHVBr
— Aditya Kondawar (@aditya_kondawar) December 19, 2023
Ms Kalinga