VEHICLE CEREMONY

A friend of mine with the intention of buying a new car referred to his 'jathagam' (astrological chart) and a numerologist.. ascertaining that the stars, and the chosen numbers cum color codes are correct in favour of him.
He than proceeded to book a car. He chose a white colored 'Opel' and requested for the number JH2969 to be registered (all arranged with cash inducement).

Happy with this, he made a further arrangement with the salesman for the new car to be delivered next Wednesday at 7.32 am. After some serious arguments the matter was settled for an extra cash. The car was delivered at "Lord Murugan" temple for the vehicle blessing ceremony.

Ceremony commenced. The priest went around the car with incense, followed by lighted camphor and sprinkled some holy water on the car with some utterance of magical verses. He wrote the word "OM" on the bonnet with sandal paste. He placed a lemon in front of each tyre and told my friend to drive over it slowly so as to squash the lemon. My friend after mumbling some prayers of his own did likewise. The priest than broke a coconut in front of the car. Money was transacted, and that completes the ceremony.

My friend is extremely happy and jubilant that the car is of the correct color, correct number and blessed by Lord Muruga. Few months later, I met him in town and enquired about his well being. He lamented that in his hurry to attend a wedding met with an accident and his daughter sitting at the back had a small tear in the forehead requiring a couple of stitches.

He went to the temple to pray and was told that luckily no death has occurred and only some shedding of blood. Well again a simple ceremony was done. Again money.

Well, with all the precautions and steps that he had undergone to buy a car seems to be a wasted effort in time and money and foolhardy. I too have a car that did not do the vehicle blessing ceremony. I too had some knocks here and there and some breakdowns. This is normal for a car that runs on engine that fails due to wear and tear or carelessness of the driver. It is normal.

How about the public mode of transportation (bus, taxi, lorry, train, aeroplane,ship ) that did not meet any blessing ceremony of "gods, colour, numbers ) and yet we gladly travel on them. Why?

One should trust one's own driving skill and the proper maintenance of the vehicle and not the stars, numbers or blessings of 'High Power'.

NOTE: The spare tyre did not receive the lemon treatment - and greater danger is lurking when he changes tyre.
A diverted trust.