An Indian family recently went viral for their decision to send their old Suzuki Wagon to the grave rather than the scrapyard in a lavish burial ceremony attended by around 1,500 people.

They say you shouldn’t get too attached to material possessions, but try telling that to the Polara family in Padarshinga Village, Gujarat, who recently said goodbye to their 18-year-old Suzuki Wagon R by laying it to rest in a lavish burial ceremony attended by over 1,500 locals. The Polara believed the popular hatchback to be their “lucky” car so they wanted to say goodbye to it properly, rather than abandoning it at a scrapyard after nearly two decades of faithful service. Patriarch Sanjay Polara told reporters that he owns several more expensive cars, including an Audi, but credits the old Wagon R for being instrumental in achieving prosperity for his family, so he wanted to do something special for it.

The Polaras had a 15-foot-deep burial pit dug on their property and then slowly had the small hatchback lowered into it via a makeshift slope. The car was covered with flower petals and decorated with colorful garlands as music played from portable speakers. The family then covered it with a green cloth and performed several rituals as part of a ceremony that reportedly cost over $4,500. They even had a samadhi (shrine) erected for their beloved Suzuki Wagon R.

“This car was more than just a vehicle; it was part of our journey toward success. Instead of selling it, we wanted to honor it with a lasting memory for future generations,” Sanjay said.

After all the rituals were concluded, an excavator was used to cover the wagon with dirt and clay. Sanjay Polara, who owns a construction business in Surat, said that he also plans to plant a tree over the unusual grave to remind future generations that it is resting place of the family’s lucky car.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen someone bury their vehicle out of appreciation for its service. Back in 2017, we wrote about Alcides Ravel, a Uruguayan farmer who laid his Ford F-350 to rest after 48 years of service. We’ve also seen people bury their relatives in their favorite cars…

Oddity Central