There’s a Temple in India That Worships a BIKE—And It’s Not A Joke!
Yuvraj Nanda | Mar 14, 2025, 21:40 IST
India has temples for gods, saints, and even animals—but what if we told you there’s a temple that worships a motorcycle? In Rajasthan, devotees pray to Om Banna’s Royal Enfield, believing it has supernatural powers. Why do people offer liquor to a bike? And does this ghostly legend actually hold truth?
Welcome to India. We have temples for almost everything—deities, animals, and even stones we find or believe to be sacred. But in this place called Pali in the state of Rajasthan, there exists a temple that worships a Royal Enfield Bullet! Yes, a bike is what people worship here!
Surprised much? You better know that every single day, travellers stop by the iconic Om Banna Temple, offering things to the deity in the form of flowers, liquor, and prayers—all of these to a motorcycle. Why? Because locals believe it’s haunted—or in other sense, blessed and has protecting and divine properties in it.
This is the story of a man called Om Singh Rathore and his mysterious ghost bike, now a part of culture in the district.
How often in your life have you experienced places or temples devoted to someone’s death? In 1988, a man named Om Singh Rathore (a.k.a. Om Banna) was riding his Royal Enfield Bullet 350 when he unfortunately crashed into a tree near Pali, Rajasthan in what was nothing short of a tragic accident. He died instantly.
The local police took the bike to the nearby station, but something very eerie is said to have happened—the next morning, it was allegedly found to be back at the accident site.
Thinking someone was playing tricks, the police said that they had locked the bike inside the station, chained it up and even emptied the fuel tank. However, as nothing potentially “worked” for them, but the bike was still believed to be vanished—only to reappear at the crash site again and again.
That’s when people started believing Om Banna’s spirit was still riding his bike, protecting travellers.
Fearing some supernatural forces which the locals had faith in, or were scared of, they decided to stop fighting fate. Instead, they expressed their intention and built a temple right at the accident spot. The bike was placed inside the complex, and the Om Banna Temple was born.
Now, people worship the motorcycle like a deity and the following observations are a part of their ecosystem of faith:
• Truck drivers and bikers stop to pray before hitting the road.
• Devotees pour alcohol on the bike as an offering (yes, this bike ‘drinks’!).
• Some claim their vehicles mysteriously stall if they don’t pay respects.
What started as an absolutely tragic accident of a common man has now turned into a full-fledged spiritual phenomenon in Rajasthan.
With all of your senses as a human working properly, especially the common sense—you would consider this to be a great example of blind faith and myth. However, the believers of bike say that Om Banna’s spirit watches over the travellers in the area, preventing many accidents. Some even claim that their vehicles even break down if they forget to stop at the temple.
Skeptics continue to argue that the bike moving on its own was likely due to human intervention or just a rumour. But one fact remains:
The temple continues to exist. The prayers continue to happen. And thousands believe in the power of this Royal Enfield 350. (No endorsement)
The Om Banna Temple is one of India’s strangest and weirdest sites of faith—but for the people who visit, it’s certainly no joke and they take it with all the seriousness.
Whether it’s superstition or something more, the legend of the ghost bike is still alive. So, if you ever drive through Rajasthan, would you dare to skip this temple?
Explore the latest trends and tips in Health & Fitness, Travel, Life Hacks, Fashion & Beauty, and Relationships at Times Life.
Surprised much? You better know that every single day, travellers stop by the iconic Om Banna Temple, offering things to the deity in the form of flowers, liquor, and prayers—all of these to a motorcycle. Why? Because locals believe it’s haunted—or in other sense, blessed and has protecting and divine properties in it.
This is the story of a man called Om Singh Rathore and his mysterious ghost bike, now a part of culture in the district.
The Biker Who Became a Spirit
The worshipped Om Singh Rathore
How often in your life have you experienced places or temples devoted to someone’s death? In 1988, a man named Om Singh Rathore (a.k.a. Om Banna) was riding his Royal Enfield Bullet 350 when he unfortunately crashed into a tree near Pali, Rajasthan in what was nothing short of a tragic accident. He died instantly.
The local police took the bike to the nearby station, but something very eerie is said to have happened—the next morning, it was allegedly found to be back at the accident site.
Thinking someone was playing tricks, the police said that they had locked the bike inside the station, chained it up and even emptied the fuel tank. However, as nothing potentially “worked” for them, but the bike was still believed to be vanished—only to reappear at the crash site again and again.
That’s when people started believing Om Banna’s spirit was still riding his bike, protecting travellers.
The Birth of Biker Temple
The sacred Royal Enfield 350
Fearing some supernatural forces which the locals had faith in, or were scared of, they decided to stop fighting fate. Instead, they expressed their intention and built a temple right at the accident spot. The bike was placed inside the complex, and the Om Banna Temple was born.
Now, people worship the motorcycle like a deity and the following observations are a part of their ecosystem of faith:
• Truck drivers and bikers stop to pray before hitting the road.
• Devotees pour alcohol on the bike as an offering (yes, this bike ‘drinks’!).
• Some claim their vehicles mysteriously stall if they don’t pay respects.
What started as an absolutely tragic accident of a common man has now turned into a full-fledged spiritual phenomenon in Rajasthan.
Miracle or Myth? What is the Truth?
The temple of Om Banna in Rajasthan
With all of your senses as a human working properly, especially the common sense—you would consider this to be a great example of blind faith and myth. However, the believers of bike say that Om Banna’s spirit watches over the travellers in the area, preventing many accidents. Some even claim that their vehicles even break down if they forget to stop at the temple.
Skeptics continue to argue that the bike moving on its own was likely due to human intervention or just a rumour. But one fact remains:
The temple continues to exist. The prayers continue to happen. And thousands believe in the power of this Royal Enfield 350. (No endorsement)
Would YOU Pray to a Motorcycle?
Depiction of a Bike being worshipped, imagined in AI.
The Om Banna Temple is one of India’s strangest and weirdest sites of faith—but for the people who visit, it’s certainly no joke and they take it with all the seriousness.
Whether it’s superstition or something more, the legend of the ghost bike is still alive. So, if you ever drive through Rajasthan, would you dare to skip this temple?
Explore the latest trends and tips in Health & Fitness, Travel, Life Hacks, Fashion & Beauty, and Relationships at Times Life.