Also called Nimbu-mirchi, Nazar battu, New vehicle puja, Vahana puja
A Hindu blessing for a new vehicle, with a turmeric and kumkum mark on the hood, a broken coconut and lemons under the wheels, followed by a string of one lemon and seven green chilies hung from the bumper to turn away the evil eye.
TraditionHindu household and folk practice
RegionIndia
Era20th century to present
Moon☽ Waxing moon
DayAny
ElementFire
Difficulty●●○ Moderate
Time30 to 45 minutes
Tonight's moon is read when the page loads.
The working
Pick a good day; many families ask a priest for an auspicious time (muhurat) or choose a festival day.
Wash the vehicle and place a small Ganesha image on the dash if you keep one.
With the ring finger of your right hand, draw an auspicious mark on the hood in turmeric and kumkum and press a few rice grains onto it. Hang the garland on the front.
Wave incense or a lamp in circles before the vehicle while saying a prayer to Ganesha, remover of obstacles, standing well clear of the paint and upholstery.
Break the coconut on the ground near the right front wheel and share the pieces as prasad. Sweep up the shell.
Set a lemon in front of each tire and drive forward slowly over them to crush them, which leaves bad luck behind.
Thread one lemon and seven green chilies on a cotton string, lemon at the bottom, and hang it from the front or rear bumper.
Replace the lemon and chilies when they dry out, traditionally every Saturday.
Take care: Keep open flame and incense outside the car and away from fuel. Wash hands after threading chilies and do not touch your eyes. Drive over the lemons at walking speed with the area clear of people.
Versions across time and place
i
Nimbu-mirchi on shops and lorries
North and West Indian urban folk custom · 20th century to present
The same lemon and chili string hangs over shop doors, cash counters and truck grills, renewed on Saturdays. One common explanation is that Alakshmi, the goddess of misfortune and elder sister of Lakshmi, loves sour and hot food, eats her fill at the door and leaves without entering. Others say the sharp lemon and burning chilies simply absorb and break the evil eye (nazar).
Uses: 1 lemon, 7 green chilies, Thread
Recorded in: USC Digital Folklore Archives, 'The Lemon-Chilli Bad Luck Repellent'
ii
Ayudha Puja for vehicles and tools
South Indian Navaratri custom · Medieval to present
On the ninth day of Navaratri, families and workshops honor the tools of their trade, and in modern times that means cars, buses, autorickshaws and machines. Vehicles are washed, marked with turmeric and kumkum, garlanded, and given a coconut and lemons under the wheels. Unlike vahan puja, which is for a new vehicle, Ayudha Puja blesses every vehicle every year.
Recorded in: Smart Puja, 'Vahan Puja: Showing Gratitude to Your Vehicles'; Ayudha Puja (Wikipedia)
iii
Vahan puja abroad
Indian diaspora, United States · 21st century
Families in the diaspora keep the rite in the driveway or temple lot, sometimes with a temple priest. Guides advise wiping off kumkum and turmeric within a day so the paint does not stain and not blocking fire lanes, and some families place the lemons rather than crush them.
Recorded in: Hindutone, 'Vahan Puja for a New Car in the USA'
History
Hindu households have long honored the means of work and travel, from bullocks and carts to ploughs and boats, and when motor vehicles became common in the 20th century they joined that list. A new car, scooter or truck is treated as a new member of the household and given a puja before its first real journey. Temples in many Indian cities keep a space where priests bless a steady stream of new vehicles, especially on festival days such as Dussehra and Dhanteras.
The lemon and seven chilies is a separate folk charm against nazar, the harm that envy and admiring eyes are believed to cause. It has no fixed scripture behind it, and Indian writers have often argued over whether it is faith or superstition. Still, it hangs on millions of shops, homes and vehicles, sold ready-strung by street vendors who replace them weekly. A brand-new car is a classic target for envy, so the two customs travel together.
