n a strange turn of events, a temple in Jodhpur decided to have a
Royal Enfield instead of an idol to worship for its devotees. Tough to
believe? But it’s true! The temple is located 20 kilometres from Ropar
and 50 kilometres away from Chandigarh on the NH-21 highway, near Choot
pur chundia village. Hundreds of people visit it every day to pray for a
safe journey.
Well, turns out there is no religious reason for suddenly worshipping
a Royal enfield. Like many such strange stories, this strange story has
a connection to the supernatural. This Royal Enfield apparently
belonged to the village headman’s son, Om Banna, who was way too
unusually attached to his bike, even more than he was to his wife.
In 1988, he died in a fatal accident when he lost control of his bike and it hit a tree. His bike fell into a ditch and Om Banna instantly died. When the police recovered the bike the next morning, they kept it in the police station. However, it miraculously appeared at the accident sit the next morning. The police, as a precautionary measure, locked the bike up with chains and emptied its fuel tank, but the bike still turned up at the same spot the next morning. All attempts by the local police to keep the bike in the police station were thwarted as the bike always returned to the same spot at dawn.
Locals started to believe that Om’s spirit is still attached to the bike, and decided to build a temple to honour the miracle.
Today, every day nearby villagers and travellers stop and pray to the bike and its late owner Om Singh. Those who pass by stop to bow their heads and leave offerings in honour of the helpful spirit, and some drivers also offer small bottles of alcohol at the site. It is said that a person who does not stop to pray at the shrine is in for a dangerous journey. Devotees also apply ’tilak’ mark and tie a red thread on the motorbike. Local people sing folk songs in the name of Om Bana.
Well, this is just a really bizarre situation and story, if nothing else.
In 1988, he died in a fatal accident when he lost control of his bike and it hit a tree. His bike fell into a ditch and Om Banna instantly died. When the police recovered the bike the next morning, they kept it in the police station. However, it miraculously appeared at the accident sit the next morning. The police, as a precautionary measure, locked the bike up with chains and emptied its fuel tank, but the bike still turned up at the same spot the next morning. All attempts by the local police to keep the bike in the police station were thwarted as the bike always returned to the same spot at dawn.
Today, every day nearby villagers and travellers stop and pray to the bike and its late owner Om Singh. Those who pass by stop to bow their heads and leave offerings in honour of the helpful spirit, and some drivers also offer small bottles of alcohol at the site. It is said that a person who does not stop to pray at the shrine is in for a dangerous journey. Devotees also apply ’tilak’ mark and tie a red thread on the motorbike. Local people sing folk songs in the name of Om Bana.
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