A video of the Rudrabhishek Puja being conducted in a moving VIP coach of Indian Railways has become viral on various social networking sites, causing much surprise to people as to how religious ceremonies can be conducted in Indian railways. Some of the users found it interesting, but at the same time some wondered if this was allowed by the railways and could be risky for passengers. However, after the commotion raised by this incident, Indian Railways came out with a clarification saying that this ritual was performed in a privately hired saloon coach and not in a regular train coach.
Viral Video that Grabbed Everyone’s Attention
The entire fiasco started with the emergence of a video that was posted on the Internet. It is 32 seconds long and features a priest performing a Rudrabhishek, which is a holy Hindu ceremony in honor of Lord Shiva. The ceremony took place in a moving train and the compartment was fully decorated for it. There were a Shivling, flowers, ritual items, and people praying during the train’s movement.
What Actually Happened?
As per Indian Railways, this ceremony was not conducted inside any regular coach of the train. Rather, this ceremony was conducted inside a private saloon coach which was commercially booked through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) under FTR (Full Tariff Rate) booking process.
The private saloon coach was connected to Train No. 12926 Paschim Express from New Delhi to Mumbai on 10th July 2026. This booking was done following the payment of around ₹3.08 lakh, and the required operational permission for this purpose had already been granted by Northern Railway.
What is a Private Saloon Coach?
Private saloon coaches refer to a special type of coach which can be hired for private or official travel. In contrast to the normal passenger coach, these coaches have premium facilities like air conditioned bedrooms, lounge, dining rooms, kitchenette, and seating arrangements.
They are normally reserved by senior government officials, corporate groups, or private parties who are ready to pay the necessary charges. As the coach is reserved by a single party, whatever activity takes place within the coach is private provided it follows the rules of railways.
Official Statement of Indian Railways
Post-viral outrage, Indian Railways justified the practice as being absolutely legal since it was performed in a privately reserved saloon coach. The officials at the railways stressed the fact that the reservation was done in accordance with the procedure for booking the train, and the travel adhered to all the guidelines.
The Railways also mentioned that their topmost priority is the safety and security of the passengers along with punctuality of the trains. It was reiterated by the officials that there were no injuries to any of the passengers, and the ceremony was performed within the confines of the reserved coach.
Why Was There a Controversy Arising from the Video?
The video triggered heated debate because a number of people thought that religious services were being carried out on an ordinary passenger train. There was controversy over whether it would set a bad precedent to allow such activities.
People came to the defense of those who organized the service, saying that they had rented the coach legally and thus should have the right to hold any religious service in the space they had rented out as long as they observed all safety guidelines. People soon started debating issues of public spaces, religious rights, and treating everyone equally on a train.
Difference Between a Private Saloon and a Passenger Coach
Misconception about the event includes thinking that the function took place in a typical railway coach.
The Indian Railways have explained that normal passenger coaches have very different guidelines. Any activity that causes interference to fellow passengers, the crew of the railways, or disrupts the train itself is not usually allowed in such coaches.
Private saloon coach is like hiring the entire railway coach privately. This is because, in this type of coach, the coach is used only by one customer. Therefore, activities may take place in such a coach without violating any safety guidelines.
Public Response on Social Media
The viral video sparked mixed responses on social media platforms.
A number of people found the event quite appealing, calling it a beautiful display of religion during the sacred period dedicated to Lord Shiva. Some were appreciative of Indian Railways for permitting private individuals to make bookings for a legally booked private coach according to their requirements.
Some others contended that places at railway stations must be devoid of any events which may lead to controversies or misunderstandings amongst citizens. Some wished for clarity concerning the policies related to private saloon bookings.
When the Railways clarified the issue, a lot of social media users realized that the ceremony was performed within a legally booked private coach and not in the public carriage.
Significance of the Event
This incident has shown how fast a viral video can spread without all the facts being known. It was because of a short video of a religious ritual taking place in a moving train that many people thought the regulations of the railways had been broken.
However, the explanation given by the Railways showed that it is necessary to understand the difference between passenger carriages and saloon carriages. There is great flexibility in the Full Tariff Rate booking system for paying customers.
Conclusion
The viral Rudrabhishek held inside a moving VIP train was not an illegal activity, but a religious ritual held within a saloon coach that had been booked privately on the Paschim Express. As per the statement by Indian Railways, the private booking was done in accordance with official guidelines, and all the required permissions had been taken for the ritual which did not impact passenger safety and train operations in any way.
Despite the video going viral and being the center of heated debates amongst the public, the above-mentioned statement has gone a long way in separating facts from speculations.
