Villagers in West Bengal reportedly stopped a moving local train, climbed onto its locomotive and began performing rituals around the engine to mark Vishwakarma Puja celebration.
Villagers in West Bengal reportedly stopped a moving local train, climbed onto its locomotive and began performing rituals around the engine to mark Vishwakarma Puja celebration. A video of the incident was shared on Instagram by Sweety Paik, who also took part in the puja. The footage shows several men standing directly on an active railway track as a local train approaches. One of them can be seen holding a red gamchha, while others carry banana leaves with their stems, traditionally used during religious rituals.
Instead of clearing the tracks, the men remain in place as the train approaches. The local train, travelling towards Sealdah in Kolkata, eventually comes to a stop.
An unusual puja ceremony was performed right at the front of the locomotive. The men climbed onto the engine, tied banana leaves to its front and draped the red gamchha around it as part of the Vishwakarma Puja rituals.
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The ceremony soon turned into a full-fledged celebration, with traditional offerings, sweets and drums. Several people gathered around the stationary train while drummers performed during the ritual.
The footage shows the participants carrying on with the ceremony despite the obvious dangers of standing on an active railway track and stopping a moving train.
Several social media users also raised concerns over the safety risks, particularly the decision to stand on the railway tracks and bring a local train to a halt for the ceremony.
Vishwakarma Puja is widely celebrated across West Bengal, especially among workers and communities associated with machinery, tools, factories and skilled trades. As part of the festival, vehicles, equipment and machines are commonly cleaned, decorated and worshipped, with prayers offered for safety, prosperity and smooth functioning.
