In India, bringing home a new vehicle starts with rituals, blessings, and traditions that go back generations. The very first stop for most cars isn’t a highway, it’s a temple. Families gather to perform a ‘vahan pooja’, where coconuts are broken, garlands are placed, kumkum is applied, and prayers are offered. It is believed that these rituals are performed to bring safety, prosperity, and divine protection on the road ahead.
After buying a Tesla Model Y in a stunning Ultra Red shade, Hyderabad-based Dr Praveen Koduru, drove straight to the temple for its blessing ceremony. Sharing pictures online, he cheekily wrote, “No car, including Tesla, can get a five-star safety rating in Indian culture, unless a vahan pooja is done.”
The photos showed his brand-new Tesla decorated with flowers, parked outside a temple, with his family in festive attire participating in the rituals.
Have a look:
No car , including Tesla, can get a five star safety rating in Indian culture, unless a vahan Pooja is done @elonmusk @TeslaClubIN @Tesla_India 😀🙏🏻😛 pic.twitter.com/5TxuGQzcPY
— Dr Praveen koduru (@drpraveenkoduru) October 1, 2025
Many people appreciated the perfect blend of modern technology with old traditions. Others found humour in the idea of a Tesla needing the same lemon-and-chilli protection as any other car on Indian roads. Here’s what some of them had to say:
Tesla officially entered the Indian market in July this year, and Dr Koduru, a laparoscopic surgeon, just received his Model Y – making it the first Tesla delivery in Hyderabad. However, this ritual proves one thing – no matter how modern or high-tech the car, the keys don’t turn until God says so.