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Comment by pavel_lishin | Hacker News Reader

That ceremony looks monstrously tiring to an introverted westerner like me. I don't want to cut a cake and watch a priest bless my car; I want to walk onto a lot, look over the car I pre-selected online to make sure it's the right one, and then give someone some money and drive away.

I'm also wondering how long that friendly attitude - and the traveling pop-up repair program - will last. Once everyone wants one of these, you no longer have to cajole people.

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It sounded similarly uncomfortable to me. But you and I are not Indians living in India. If I had grown up there I might be more comfortable with that tradition.

That ceremony looks monstrously tiring to an introverted westerner like me.

Well, I guess it's a good thing the article isn't about westerners, let alone introverts...

It's pretty common in India to take your new car to the temple and get it blessed.

Interesting that in the photos, the priest is the least 'dressed-up' of all of them.

That's because, he definitely is not a priest, he is most likely an employee at the dealership. Im an Indian, that guying doing the puja doesnot resemble a Pujari (priest), Hindu pujari's have a very traditional dressing style. I feel that the writer was either unaware or just adding masala(spicing up) to his article by claiming him to be a priest.

Or have the pandit come out to your house... every puja I've been to has been at someone's home, rather than at the temple.

The puja ceremony is part of Hindu culture on any major financial transaction. Even in the US, it is common for Hindu families to perform it after buying a car or home though perhaps not as elaborate. Also you will find in India the stores have many more staff compared to US stores. Imagine Walmart with an employee manning every isle. I guess due to labor cost being much lower.

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