Viral Video: African Hindu priest performing new car rituals grabs attention online

An old video showing an African Hindu priest performing rituals for a new car has caught attention online. The clip, shared on Insta, shows the pandit reciting Sanskrit shlokas with proper pronunciation while seeking blessings for the vehicle. The video opens with the African pandit conducting the pooja. The front hood of the car is opened as he performs the rituals, mirroring the traditional practices commonly seen in India. “African Hindu Pundit doing new car pooja,” the tweet accompanying the video reads.

Social media reacts

The video has impressed many users. One commented, “He’s pronunciation better than urban people in India." Another wrote, “This is the most beautiful thing I have seen today on Twitter." A user with experience in Lagos added, “Lived in Lagos for many years, the temple poojari there was a African, every Poornima we used to have Satyanarayan Pooja, many locals also used to come. All festivals we used to celebrate."


Another viewer pointed out the priest’s precise hand gestures during the ritual, saying, “Even finger mudras for chakshu, nasike, shotre (with correct fingers) is perfect!"

Similar ceremonies abroad

A similar video of puja also went viral few years ago. The South Korean Embassy in India shared a video of a pooja marking the arrival of a Hyundai Genesis GV80, which will serve as the ambassador’s official car. The embassy tweeted, “We are delighted to have a new Hyundai Genesis GV80 as the Ambassador’s official vehicle and held a Pooja ceremony wishing for good luck! Join our embassy’s new journey!"