NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 22, 2008: What about going to a dealer who along with freebies, offers a free puja for the car with a priest in attendance?
As Indian priests hop from household to household performing pujas in the capital, they now have a new job opening, performing quick puja for the customers at showrooms before they drive away with the four-wheeler. Aware of the fact that in a country like India most of Hindu life has a mark of religiosity, many dealers have now started to provide the grand-old service of performing customary rituals and ceremonies right at the car showrooms.
Raman Gupta, who is a manager in a leading it company, recently bought a new Maruti from a car dealer in the capital. Like many middle-class Indians, he also believes in starting any new work after performing some rituals. Just as he was about to leave for a Hanuman mandir in the nearby area, a person from the showroom approached him and introduced himself as Pandit Radhamohan Tyagi, a priest deployed by the outlet. In just 15 minutes, Pundit and his disciple performed all the rituals from coconut-breaking and swastika smearing to arati and all.
“I am really delighted at the service being offered by the company at no extra cost”, says wife of Raman, Seema Gupta. Pandit is happy too.”We perform every ritual as per the demand of customer and get paid by the company”, he says. “Moreover, we get handsomely paid by the owners of the showroom as against the low income from being at temples and homes. So, I have adopted to work for them.” India is one of the world’s fastest growing car markets.