Belief is a strong word, but we Indian seems to take it to a whole new level. India is a country known for its mysticism with more than 33 crore deities worshipped by devotees. From magnificent and well-maintained temples to the ones biting the dust of time, each has its interesting story and myths to tell. People travel to different religious places for different purposes all the time. Temples in India have a spiritual essence associated with them which can be felt by anyone. These mystical places are great to have some peace of mind. However, there are certain not-so-conventional temples and rituals which can easily baffle anyone’s mind. From celebrity gods to god that is offered alcohol, we bring you 7 unconventional and strangely fascinating temples in India that are worth a visit.
Aeroplane Gurudwara, Punjab
You might have gone to temples and have prayed to god for a certain wish or any occasion. What if your wish is to get your visa approved or to solve visa related matters preventing you from going abroad? Interestingly, there is a Gurudwara in Jalandhar where your visa wish or anything related to travel abroad can come true. And it’s not a joke! Also known as ‘Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh’, this gurudwara is located in the village of Talihan where devotees wishing to go abroad and have a successful career come and offer a toy aero plane to the god.
Surprisingly, not much is known about the saint in whose memory this place of worship was constructed. Devotees from every nook and corner of Punjab pay a visit to this place to get their wishes fulfilled. You can easily buy toy aero planes from the shops around the Gurudwara ranging in size and price. Now you know the secret of Punjabi population overseas, we are hoping you’ll visit the Gurudwara soon, dare you reveal the secret!
Kodungallur Bhadrakaali Temple, Kerala
Dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali, a gentler reincarnation of Goddess Kali, this temple has a weird ritual where the temple undergoes abuses and thrashing during Bharani, a 7-day festival. Taking devotion or rituals to a different level, the devotees of goddess dresses up in red attire hit and bang their heads, carry swords to the temple and beat its doors with bamboo sticks abusing the goddess. Not only this, they sing erotic songs and run around in a trance-like state with blood pouring from their faces. On top of this, offerings are thrown at the statue of the goddess instead of gently putting the same. As soon as the festival ends, the temple is closed for seven days to clean the temple and not to forget – the bloodstains.
Brahma Temple, Rajasthan
Located in Pushkar, Brahma temple was built with stone slabs with red
Stambheshwar Mahadev, Gujarat
Have you ever visited a temple that appears and disappears throughout the day? You might not have even heard of such a temple right? As shocking it might be for you, such a temple exists in India. Situated close to Vadodara in Gujarat, Stambheshwar Mahadev is the temple that can only be accessed during low tide. During high tide, the temple is engulfed by the sea making it inaccessible to the devotees of Mahadev. The temple, however, reappears once the water descends completely. Locals also believe that Lord Shiva fulfills all the wishes of those who take chances to venture into it. Would you like to get that adrenaline rush? Stambheshwar Mahadev is calling you! However, don’t forget to pack your safety gear as the sea is not something to get a fight with.
Kal Bhairav Nath Temple, Ujjain
Talk about strange rituals, and we’ve got one where god is offered alcohol. Isn’t that weird? Well, Kal Bhairav Nath Temple in Ujjain begs to differ. Even though liquor is prohibited in Madhya Pradesh, god is among those who also bend the law here. This temple takes offering ritual to another level. Every Sunday, devotees offer wine or other alcoholic drinks to the god in return they get the same as “Prasad”. The main priest of the temple pours a peg or two on the idol as he chants mantras and then distributes the liquor among the devotes. Keeping in mind the convenience, shops have been opened near the premises of the temple so that the devotees won’t have to search for liquor. Well, alcohol lovers would find this place interesting. Keeping aside religion and rituals, Kal Bhairav Nath Temple is a place you must pay a visit once.
Karni Mata Temple, Rajasthan
Dedicated to goddess Karni, this temple is popular for housing more than 20,000 rats. These rats roam freely in the premises of the temple and to utter surprise, no one has ever witnessed plague which makes it one of the unique temples in India. Devotees come here from all the corners of the country to seek blessings from the goddess. Interestingly, the temple also has rare white rats (believed to be a manifestation of the goddess and her four sons) and it is said that those who spot these rats get blessed with good fortune and health.
According to a legend, once Karni mata’s stepson drowned in a pond named kapil sarovar, the goddess then asked Yama to revive him but Yama refused. But finally, Yama yielded and blessed all her sons to be reincarnated as rats. The temple draws visitors from across the world. As shocking as it might sound, but eating the food nibbled by these rats is considered honorable here. If you love freaky places, then a visit to this holy place is what you must put on your bucket list.
Bullet Baba Temple, Rajasthan
Rajasthan is not only popular for its rich culture, history and lavish architecture but also unusual temples, weird rituals and spooky experiences. One of these strange temples is Om Banna Temple a.k.a Bullet Baba Temple where a Royal Enfield 350 cc is worshipped for a safe journey. The story behind this temple creepy and funny at the same time as the main deity here is this “bullet motorbike” unlike usual gods and goddesses.
As per the story goes, in 1988, Om singh rathore, the owner of the bike died in a collision with a tree while traveling on his bike. The bike dell into the ditch and later police took it to the station. What happened next gave chills to the police as the bike returned to the same site in mysterious circumstances. Police attempted to lock the bike and emptied the petrol, but the same thing happened every time and the bullet was found in the same spot. People started to believe that the spirit of Om Banna lives in the bike and they built a temple in that place. From thereafter, whoever travels from that path stops by to pray for a safe journey. Isn’t that fascinating yet spooky at the same time? Would you think of visiting this unusual temple in Rajasthan?
If you are amazed by these temples and strange rituals, you should know that India is a nucleus of such places. From Sonia Gandhi temple to the temple where dogs are worshipped, we have all kinds of freaky places to give you an experience of a lifetime. If you ever plan to travel and explore these states, don’t forget to visit these places for an extraordinary trip. Do let us know your thoughts on these places or feel free to share your experiences with us.
