We're at it again! To introduce you Holidayminers to a totally different India. Discover India's most bizarre side which will astonish and leave you in ripples of laughter at the same time, as Holidaymine showcases some of the most bizzare places in our very own country-India. If you dont believe us, just scroll down.

The Bullet Baba Temple-Jodhpur

Mr. Om Banna a local villager was returning home from his regular work, but little did he know that an entire shrine would be dedicated to him! The Bullet Baba temple also known as the Om Banna Temple is a shrine located in the Pali district of Jodhpur. The story goes that Mr. Om Banna lost control of his bike; it struck a tree and BAM! He was killed instantly. The cops took the motorcycle to a nearby police station, however the next day it disappeared and was found back at the site of the accident!

Amazing Facts

The bike is a 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet; the villagers worship this bike since they consider the entire incident to be a miracle. While on their way to work they stop and pray to the bike and its late owner Om Singh. Locals who pass by this shrine bow their heads and leave their offerings in the honor of Mr. Om Banna’s spirit in the form of alcohol. As if this wasn’t weird enough, it is said that the people who do not stop to pay respect at the shrine will have a dangerous journey ahead. Spooky or bizarre, you’ve got to visit this temple and experience the weirdness yourself! 

Photo Credit: Daniel Villafruela

Mohammad Umri-Allahabad

Enter into a different era, as you step into Mohammad Umri which is a small village dotted with mud thatched huts. What makes this village unique is not its scenery or lush landscapes, but its local population. This unique village sits about 8 miles from the Allahabad Railway station and has an unusual twin population.

Amazing Facts

Mohammad Umri is the producer of the largest number of twins in the world. What’s more shocking is that, this twin population is not only restricted to humans but also animals. They proudly boast of having the largest number of twins in the world with 120 twins living in this village having 2500 families. The village boasts of a twin monozygotic (MZ) or identical twin birth rate that is 300 times the national average and perhaps the highest in the world.  “Guddu Judwa” and “Munnu Judwa” are the oldest surviving twins in this weird village. However, if "Guddu" goes out and you spot his photocopy “Munnu” the next second, don’t worry you’re not crazy you’ve just stepped into Mohammad Umri!

New Lucky Restaurant-Ahmedabad

When you enter a restaurant in India you will look for two things: Great food and good ambience. The New Lucky Restaurant located in Ahmedabad serves mouthwatering food but there’s a slight glitch in regards to its ambience, the restaurant is situated in the middle of GRAVES! The restaurant owner believes that the location brings him good luck.

Amazing Facts

The graves are scattered on the floor of the restaurant making it difficult for visitors to find their way, however the waiters of this creepy restaurant have mastered the art of shimmying their way between graves. The graves are believed to be that of the relatives of a 16th century Sufi saint whose tomb lies nearby. However the milky tea and buttery rolls are to die for in this eerie restaurant if it’s any comfort for the ones reading this.

Chaprah-Chhattisgarh

As an accompaniment with our daily food we require the juicy and delicious ‘chutney’ to make our food even tastier. The people of Chhattisgarh have a different story altogether with regards to this mouth-watering ‘chutney’.

Amazing Facts

Chaprah is regular chutney that adds taste to the meals of the tribal’s in Chhattisgarh, what is shocking is that this chutney is made out of red ants and their eggs. To prepare the Chaprah, red ants are dried; spices and sweeteners are then added to this ‘chutney’ and it is ready to be served. The locals of Chhatisgarh drool over this ‘chutney’ and eat it like you would enjoy a delicious plate of schezwan noodles. So the next time you’re in Chhattisgarh, looking for a tangy ‘chutney’ along with that totally mouthwatering dish, beware of the Chaprah, unless…well your fond of ants.

Shetpal-Sholapur

Often referred as the “Snake Charmers” land, India is a country which takes worshipping of snakes to an entirely different level. Living up to its name a tiny village Shetpal located in the Sholapur district of Maharashtra is keeping up with the old tradition of worshipping snakes. However the villagers of Shetpal take this practice of worshipping snakes a little too seriously, as every house in this village has a PET COBRA!

Amazing Facts

The cobra’s slither around the houses as if it is the most natural thing to do on earth. The villagers unmindful of these slithering reptiles, have a special place reserved for their ‘pets’ or to be precise a shelter where the cobra’s reside within their houses. Now, if you think the hospitals in Shetpal are over flooded with patients suffering from snake bites, you are wrong since not a single villager is reported to have been bitten by these snakes.

Karni Mata Temple-Rajasthan

Just in the above paragraph we mentioned how India is the land of “Snake Charmers” and people consider the cobra scared. However the faith of Indians is not limited only to the worshipping of snakes, they also worship Rats! Shocking but true, the Karni Mata Temple located in Rajasthan is overrun with more than 20,000 rats.

Amazing Facts

The rats are considered holy and are called ‘kabbas’, people from all over the world come to seek blessings from these rats. They scurry freely within the premises of the temple, drinking and eating from a huge metal bowl of milk and grains. The devotees place this bowl as an offering to these furry rodents. Candy and sweets often find their way into this temple as an offering and devotees have gone to the extent of building grills to keep out predators. The food nibbled by these rats is considered to be holy by the devotees and they have absolutely no inhabitations to consume the half eaten meal of the rats.

Photo Credit: Koen

Bhadarapura-Karnataka

If you have a friend named ‘Karan’ and bump into him on the road you would stop and say “ Hi, Karan how are you?” but imagine if you would have to say the same thing to a person named ‘Coffee’. Bizarre as it may seem the locals of Bhadrapura village in Karnataka have a weird naming fetish. The nomadic tribe ‘Hakki Pakki’ names their children based on real English words.

Amazing Facts

The village of Bhadrapura is filled with people having unusual English names such as ‘Coffee’, ‘Congress’, ‘High Court’, ‘ Janta’ and so on. These people simply get their inspiration from things around them and if they like it they decide to name their child after that particular thing. They may fancy a particular ‘table’ and won’t hesitate for a second to name their newborn ‘table’. Ask them if they know English and surprisingly ‘English’ will come and stand right in front of your eyes!

Thaipusam-Tamil Nadu

A number of colorful and beautiful festivals are celebrated in India, but when it comes to bizarre the Thaipusam festival is a perfect example which tops the list of weird Indian festivals. This festival is dedicated to Lord Murugan the son of Shiva and Parvati. It is generally celebrated on the full moon day in the month of January or February by the Tamil community and will leave you speechless literally!

Amazing Facts

The festival begins by devotees cleaning themselves and having a bath as they spend most of the time praying and fasting. However mortification of flesh is the main attraction of this festival.  It is believed that the greater pain you can endure the greater you will be blessed by God and therefore devotees pierce their mouth, tongue, cheeks, chest, stomach, and backs with sharp skews and try to pull heavy tractors with hooks pierced in their body. The devotees believe that each needle piercing through the surface of their skin is their attestation of faith and commitment to their Lord.

Photo Credit: FLEE

Living Root Bridges-Cherrapunji

In the depths of Cherrapunji known as one of the wettest places in the world, bridges aren’t built. They are grown by the “War-Khasis” a tribe in Meghalaya who simply grew bridges whenever they felt the need. No they aren’t magicians, but they did discover the ‘Ficus Elastica’ tree which plays a major role in building or rather growing these bridges.

Amazing Facts

The War-Khasis noticed the ‘Ficus Elastica’ and saw in its roots a potential to cross the rivers in the area without any hurdle. The root bridges which are over a hundred feet long, take approximately ten to fifteen years to become fully functional.The best part about these bridges is that it can easily take the weight of fifty or more people at a time. One special root bridge is actually stacked one above the other like a double decker bus and it also has a name! It’s known as the “Umshiang Double Decker Root Bridge”

Photo Credit: 2il org