Fact Check: Kali mandir in Bangladesh desecrated? No, video shows idol immersion in West Bengal

Hyderabad: A video showing a group of people trying to break a large idol is going viral with the claim that it shows Muslims in Bangladesh desecrating a Goddess Kali temple.

The video was shared on X with the caption, “Yesterday in Bangladesh, Muslims attacked Kalibari or Kali temple and destroyed the idols of Maa Kali and other Hindu deities. Hindu devotees present inside the temple were killed. More than 20 Hindu devotees are badly injured. But the whole world is silent on the massacre of Hindus in Bangladesh.” (Translated from Hindi) (Archive)

Similar claims can be found here and here.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false as the video was shot during Goddess Kali idol immersion at a temple in West Bengal’s Sultanpur.

Using a reverse image search of the keyframes of the video, we found the same video uploaded on YouTube on November 30, 2024. At the 0:27-second mark, the viral clip can be seen in the video.

We also found another video uploaded on the same channel on November 30 with the title ‘It’s time to pray for our mother Kali of our Sultanpur village.’ The video shows a large gathering of people dancing to music and celebrating.

Using this lead we have performed keyword searches and found a YouTube video uploaded on November 30 with the Bangla title ‘Kalimata Niranjan of Sultanpur 12 years tradition’. The video shows the incident from the viral video from different angles.

A comparison of the screenshots from the YouTube video and the viral video can be seen below.

The videos show people breaking away pieces of the Goddess Kali idol and carrying them away. They also show the pink interiors of the temple, its arches and golden-yellow pillars. Using this information, we found the Kali Temple in Sultanpur where the viral video was shot.

A comparison of the temple arches and its pillars from the YouTube video and the Google photos uploaded on Maps is given below.

Another YouTube video, uploaded on November 27, showed people carrying smaller pieces of the Kali idol for immersion at a small water body nearby. In the video, we can see the Sultanpur Kali Temple in the background. A comparison of the temple from the YouTube video and Google Maps can be seen below.

According to a report by Dainik Statesman News, in Sultanpur village located in the Barddhaman district of West Bengal, Goddess Kali is worshipped following a unique tradition. An idol of the Goddess is created once every 12 years. At the end of this period, the idol is dismantled and immersed in the Kalimata pond next to the temple. The report highlights that this practice has been a part of the region’s cultural heritage for over 600 years.

Hence, it is evident that the viral video shows the dismantling of a Goddess Kali idol for immersion at a temple in Sultanpur, West Bengal. Therefore, NewsMeter concludes that the viral claim is false.