Manufacturers spend millions on advertising to showcase the features of their motorcycles to compete with other brands. However, in India, an unusual and unintended form of advertising has made one particular motorcycle famous—a model that has become an object of worship and reverence. People have even built a shrine for it, where hundreds come to pray and seek blessings for safe travels. This might sound like an exaggeration, but it’s a true story about one of India’s most unique temples, known as “Om Banna” or “Bullet Baba,” which is dedicated to a motorcycle. Despite its religious significance, the shrine has also become a popular tourist attraction in the country.
This extraordinary temple is located in the Indian state of Rajasthan, along the Pali-Jodhpur highway, near a village called Chotila. The temple’s origins date back to an incident almost 35 years ago, on December 2, 1988, when a young man named Om Singh Rathore, also known as “Om Banna,” was riding his Royal Enfield Bullet 350 motorcycle. He was intoxicated and lost control of his bike on the highway between Bangdi and his village, Chotila. The motorcycle crashed into a tree, and Om Banna died instantly.
The local police arrived at the scene to investigate and took the motorcycle to their station, as is standard procedure. However, the next day, the motorcycle mysteriously disappeared from the station. After a search, it was found back at the accident site. Initially, the police thought it was a prank and returned the bike to the station, this time chaining it up and emptying its fuel tank. But to everyone’s surprise, the motorcycle vanished again and reappeared at the accident site the next morning. Despite multiple attempts by the police to keep the bike at the station, it would always disappear and return to the crash site by dawn. This strange occurrence quickly spread to neighboring villages, and the villagers started to believe that the motorcycle had supernatural powers.
Believing that the bike was blessed, the villagers began to worship it and constructed a temple called “Bullet Baba” or “Om Banna.” The shrine features a bust of the deceased Om Banna, and his motorcycle is placed on a concrete platform surrounded by a glass enclosure adorned with garlands. It is believed that the spirit of Om Singh Rathore rides his motorcycle along the highway, assisting travelers who encounter difficulties. Additionally, there is a belief that his spirit ensures the safety of travelers. Villagers claim that road accidents near Chotila have significantly decreased since Om Banna’s death. They also say that the motorcycle in the temple grants the wishes and prayers of those who visit it, as it is believed to have mystical powers. One story tells of a driver whose car skidded and fell into a ditch not far from the Om Banna temple. According to reports, the driver, who was injured and bleeding, swore that Om Banna’s spirit came and helped him out, which further increased the temple’s popularity.
As a result, many travelers on this route, including truck drivers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, and even tourists, stop to visit the Om Banna temple, offer prayers, and make offerings of flowers and bottles of liquor in hopes of a safe journey. Villagers warn that ignoring the temple and not stopping is a bad omen, signaling the likelihood of an accident during the trip. The temple has a priest responsible for conducting morning and evening rituals, which involve drum beating and reciting prayers. The priest also maintains the temple and keeps it clean. The tree that Rathore crashed into still stands in front of the shrine, now decorated with prayer threads, bangles, and ropes. The temple has brought significant tourism to the area, and there are now over ten shops nearby selling flowers, incense, camphor, and various souvenirs, including key chains, necklaces, rings, audio tapes, CDs, and pictures of Om Banna.
