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

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.

समंदर में मिला सोने का रथ:

चक्रवात असानी की वजह से आंध्र प्रदेश के श्रीकाकुलम जिले के एक तट पर समुद्री लहरें एक ‘सोने का रथ’ बहा ले आई हैं,
इस रथ की बनावट किसी मोनेस्ट्री जैसी है,

माना जा रहा है कि ये रथ थाइलैंड या म्यांमार से बहकर आंध्र के तट तक पहुंच गया है!

Video: ABP news pic.twitter.com/HpjS7dERmj

— !!…शिवम…!! ??RED_2.0?? (@Aaaru_Prem) May 11, 2022

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.”

In a storm this “Rath” was washed ashore on d beach …. Its is made only from Gold …
This is a symbol of how rich and prosperous was our hindu civilisation was … #GoldenChariot pic.twitter.com/CWaKdLKR8T

— Nick (@Nickonlyfru) May 11, 2022

#Goldenchariot: ಶ್ರೀಕಾಕುಳಂ ಸಮುದ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ತೇಲಿ ಬಂದ ಗೋಲ್ಡನ್ ರಥದ ಲೇಟೆಸ್ಟ್ ದೃಶ್ಯ
ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಮಾಹಿತಿಗಾಗಿ ► https://t.co/I3omngLlis

Video Link►https://t.co/RycA87x9pL#TV9Kannada #goldenchariot #mysteriouschariot #SrikakulamCostal #AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/NoBt3skt8Q

— TV9 Kannada (@tv9kannada) May 11, 2022

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.”

#WATCH | Andhra Pradesh: A mysterious gold-coloured chariot washed ashore at Sunnapalli Sea Harbour in Srikakulam y’day, as the sea remained turbulent due to #CycloneAsani

SI Naupada says, “It might’ve come from another country. We’ve informed Intelligence & higher officials.” pic.twitter.com/XunW5cNy6O

— ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2022

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 —