Dharitri Ganguly
Bullet Baba Temple: Rajasthan, India
Also known as the Om Banna Temple, this famous roadside shrine is located on NH 62. Instead of a traditional god, the "deity" is a Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle. According to local legend, the bike’s owner, Om Singh Rathore, died in a crash in 1988, and the bike was seized by the police. But strangely, the bike kept returning to the crash site. Today, travelers stop here to pray for safe journeys. Many drivers leave offerings of flowers and alcohol to the bike.
The White Temple (Wat Rong Khun): Chiang Rai, Thailand
While it is a traditional Buddhist temple on the outside, the inner murals contain a surprise. Instead of just ancient religious art, the walls feature modern pop culture icons. You will spot paintings of Superman, Harry Potter, Michael Jackson, and even elements from sci-fi movies, representing the modern world's desires and struggles.
Chilkur Balaji Temple: Hyderabad, India
Known as the "Visa Temple", this ancient shrine is heavily visited by IT professionals and software engineers who are chasing their American dreams. Worshippers circle the shrine and keep track of their rounds on paper, asking for divine help with their visa applications and job moves.
The Airplane Gurudwara: Punjab, India
In the village of Talhan, in Jalandhar, the Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh Gurudwara is most commonly referred to as the "Airplane Temple." People who desperately want to travel abroad or get foreign visas, especially to the United States, visit this shrine. As a symbol of their faith, they offer miniature toy airplanes to the shrine.
Electric Lady Studios, New York City, USA
While functioning as a premier recording facility, this studio is treated as a near-holy sanctuary by musicians and audiophiles. Designed initially by Jimi Hendrix, the facility represents the worship of sound technology and advanced analog recording equipment.