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| - Fact Check: 9th-century Shivling excavated in Vietnam falsely shared as Gyanvapi Masjid discovery
A picture of a Shivling-like structure went viral on social media, with claims that it was found inside the mosque in question. India Today's Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claim to be misleading.
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India Today Fact Check
The viral image of the Shivling is not from Varanasi's Gyanvapi Masjid, or from India at all. It is from Vietnam, where the ASI excavated the 9th century CE idol in 2020.
Amid the Gyanvapi Masjid row, a photo of a structure that looks like a Shivling went viral on social media with claims that it was discovered inside the mosque in question.
While sharing the image, many claimed that the photo was from the court-mandated videography survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex. The caption alongside one such post read, "Mughal architecture is amazing! They always built an ancient Hindu temple in the basement first," along with hashtags for Gyanvapi Mandir, Shivling, and Varanasi.
Archived versions of the post can be seen here.
The India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) found this claim was false. The viral image was not from Varanasi's Gyanvapi Masjid, or from India at all. It was from Vietnam.
AFWA Probe
A reverse search of the viral image led us to news reports from May 2020, which stated that the Archaeological Survey of India excavated a sandstone Shivling in Vietnam. Reportedly, the idol dated back to the 9th century CE.
Subsequent searches led us to other news reports that noted this discovery was made at the world heritage site at My Son in Quang Nam Province of Vietnam. The temple complex was reportedly built in the 9th century CE under the reign of King Indravarman II.
At the time, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also tweeted the photos of the Shivling, and said: "Reaffirming a civilisational connect. Monolithic sandstone Shiv Linga of 9th c CE is latest find in ongoing conservation project. Applaud @ASIGoI team for their work at Cham Temple Complex, My Son, #Vietnam. Warmly recall my visit there in 2011. A great cultural example of India’s development partnership."
Reaffirming a civilisational connect.
Monolithic sandstone Shiv Linga of 9th c CE is latest find in ongoing conservation project. Applaud @ASIGoI team for their work at Cham Temple Complex, My Son, #Vietnam. Warmly recall my visit there in 2011. pic.twitter.com/7FHDB6NAxz — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 27, 2020
A great cultural example of India’s development partnership. @AmbHanoi @ITECnetwork
@FMPhamBinhMinh pic.twitter.com/9kB6DZ8MbK — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 27, 2020
Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel also congratulated the ASI on this finding and shared another set of images from the conservation site.
, @ASIGoI @PMOIndia @incredibleindia @MinOfCultureGoI @tourismgoi @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/lrzRcsValp — Prahlad Singh Patel (@prahladspatel) May 29, 2020
Thus we conclude that the photo of a 9th century CE Shivling unearthed in Vietnam in 2020 was falsely shared as a Shivling reportedly discovered in the Gyanvapi Masjid complex.
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