Puja on train sparks row, railways clarifies: Ritual held in privately booked luxury saloon
A video showing a religious ceremony being performed inside a train has gone viral on social media, prompting questions over whether such rituals are permitted inside Indian Railways coaches.
The clip surfaced days after the widely discussed "honeymoon coach" video and quickly sparked debate online.
The video, shared on X, showed a priest seated on the floor of a railway coach conducting a puja while several devotees, most dressed in white, participated in the ceremony.
After honeymoon coach, now worship rituals in saloon coach of Indian Railways. Indian Railway is becoming circus. pic.twitter.com/5UwZIJAdGb
— VIZHPUNEET (@vizhpuneet) July 12, 2026
Railways issues clarification
Responding to the controversy, Northern Railway clarified that the ceremony did not take place inside a regular passenger coach but in a privately booked luxury saloon car.
In a post on its official X account, the railway zone said the saloon coach had been booked through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) by a private party.
What is a railway saloon car?
A railway saloon car is a special luxury coach traditionally meant for senior railway officials and VIPs.
It is equipped with premium facilities, including air-conditioned bedrooms, a living and dining area, a kitchenette, attached washrooms, and other amenities.
Unlike regular passenger coaches, these saloon cars can also be commercially booked under specific provisions.
Commercial booking details
According to Northern Railway, the saloon car was booked through IRCTC on July 8 after the party made an advance payment of Rs 3,08,580.
The coach was scheduled to be attached to Train No. 12926 Paschim Express for a one-way journey from New Delhi (NDLS) to Mumbai (BDTS) on July 10.
The railway authorities emphasised that the ceremony was conducted inside the privately booked saloon coach and not in a public passenger compartment, addressing concerns raised after the video went viral.
'Honeymoon coach' row put railways under spotlight
The clarification comes just days after another viral controversy involving Indian Railways, where a First AC cabin on the Mumbai CSMT–Balharshah Nandigram Express was lavishly decorated with balloons, roses, candles and heart-shaped ornaments, earning it the nickname "honeymoon coach" on social media.
The video sparked criticism over the use of a public railway compartment for a private celebration.
Honeymoon coach on Indian Railways. Ticket checker suspended.
— Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) July 8, 2026
South Central Zone
A couple travelling in Train No. 11002 Nandigram express on 6/7/26 had privately engaged a decorator online to decorate their 1st AC coupe.
The decorator's entry into the coach was… pic.twitter.com/1ati4A13G4
Railway authorities subsequently suspended the travelling ticket examiner (TTE) on duty and ordered an inquiry into the incident, saying the decorations violated railway protocol.
The latest viral video of a puja inside a train coach surfaced soon after the "honeymoon coach" episode, prompting fresh questions over the permissible use of railway coaches.
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