Chariot washed ashore on Andhra coast is not made of gold but golden-coloured one; Fact Check

Posted by: Arun Nag May 13, 2022

As the cyclone Asani hit the coast of Andhra Pradesh on May 10, 2022, a viral video about a “golden chariot (‘सोने का रथ’)” washed ashore at Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh has caught the attention of many. Almost all the news outlets have covered the news and TV channels have shown how local people were trying to drag it from the sea to the shore.

Soon, WhatsApp and Twitter messages are abuzz with the claim that it was a golden chariot.

The translation reads: “A chariot made of gold found in the ocean. Due to Cyclone Asani, a chariot made of gold was swept to the coast in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. The chariot is shaped like a monastery. Perhaps it floated all the way from Thailand or Myanmar and reached the coast of Andhra Pradesh.”

It was widely shared on Twitter and WhatsApp.

FACT CHECK

Shrikesh B Lathakar, the collector of Srikakulam district, however, clarified to the media that the chariot was not made of gold but was golden in colour. “The chariot is now in the custody of local police.”

SI Saikumar of Naupada village (Srikakulam district) told news agency ANI confirming that “It might have come from another country. We have informed Intelligence and higher officials.”

M Venkata Ganesh, the circle inspector of Tekkali circle, Srikakulam, told ANI that the police did not find “any valuable metal like gold in the chariot. It is made of steel and wood. But its colour is golden.”

The district administration later found a script on the chariot written in Burmese and a date as January 16, 2022 on it, giving a clue of its origin as Myanmar, pending confirmation from Myanmar officials.

The district administration also clarified that it is not a golden chariot but made of wood and iron metal though painted in golden colour. Hence, the “chariot” was not made of gold but painted in golden colour reflecting any Buddhist monastery’s chariot.

Claim: Golden chariot washed ashore at Srikakulam coast of Andhra Pradesh on May 10 during cyclone Asani.

Conclusion: The chariot ws painted in gold but not made of gold.

Rating: Misinterpretation —

About Arun Nag

Arun is with Digiteye India since the beginning as the main source for re-writing copies and re-checking the facts and images. He writes on general and tech issues. He can be reached at arunnag@digiteye.in

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