The happiness of having a car makes its owner not want to part with it, even when its useful life has expired. In Padarshinga Village, Gujarat, India , a family shocked the public by holding a funeral for their beloved Suzuki Wagon R. This unique event was held lively and attended by around 1,500 people last weekend.
The car was buried in a 15-foot-deep hole prepared on the Polara family's property. Sanjay Polara, the car's owner, called the vehicle a symbol of good fortune that had helped their family achieve success. The burial ritual was enlivened with flower petals, colorful garlands, and music played from portable speakers.
This seemingly odd event is not without reason. The Polara family believes that the car has a high sentimental value after 18 years of faithfully accompanying them. Although Sanjay has luxury cars such as Audi, he still decided to pay his last respects to his beloved car.
The tribute to the car cost more than Rp 71 million. After the ritual was completed, an excavator covered the hole with soil, and the family plans to plant a tree on top of the unique grave. Sanjay hopes that future generations will remember the car that brought "good luck".
The Polara family dug a 15-foot-deep burial pit for their beloved Suzuki Wagon R. The ritual was enlivened by fresh flowers, colorful garlands, and traditional music. The car was covered in green cloth before being placed in the grave. Sanjay Polara stated, "This car is more than just a vehicle; it is part of our journey to success." The family did not hesitate to spend more than Rp 71 million for the event.
After all the rituals are completed, an excavator is used to cover the large car grave. In addition, the family plans to plant a tree on the grave as a symbol of remembrance. Sanjay wants this tradition to be remembered by future generations.
The 18-year-old Suzuki Wagon R holds deep meaning for the Polara family. It was used in many important moments, including their early business trips. Sanjay believes the car brought good luck to his construction business. Despite owning expensive cars like Audis, Sanjay chose to retire the Wagon R in a unique way. For him, the car is a symbol of irreplaceable loyalty. The family felt that selling it to a scrapyard would destroy the sentimental value it had.
According to local media reports, this is one of the first car burials to be held in Gujarat. Locals were curious and amused by the strange act, so they decided to come and witness it.
The car burial drew widespread attention, both in local and international media. Many praised the Polara family for treating the car with such reverence. Some residents even felt inspired to honor their historical items in a different way. However, the event also drew criticism from those who considered it wasteful. Some netizens called the act unreasonable given the communitys need for land and resources. Sanjay responded casually to the criticism, saying that this was his familys way of remembering their car.
This ceremony also creates an interesting conversation about the emotional connection of humans with their beloved items. Psychologists call this act as a form of expressing love for past memories.
The phenomenon of burying vehicles is not new. A Nigerian man, Azubuike, once caused a stir by buying a new BMW X5 for $90,000 to bury his father. The luxury car was used as a coffin for his father who died of old age. The ceremony was held in a village in Nigeria, with a six-foot-deep grave. The father's body was placed inside the car before being lowered into the grave. The procession was accompanied by a traditional ceremony involving local residents. "This is my way of honoring my father who raised me," said Azubuike. The act received mixed reactions from the public, ranging from praise to criticism that called it wasteful. However, for Azubuike, it was a symbol of love and final respect.