Renovation and redevelopment work at Manikarnika Ghat, Hinduism’s most sacred cremation ground, unexpectedly turned into a flashpoint of political and social media controversy after a series of viral posts accused the Uttar Pradesh government of desecrating Hindu heritage. The allegations, which spread rapidly across platforms, claimed that idols of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar had been broken and that the historic Kumbha Mahadev Temple had been demolished as part of the project.
The claims carried immediate political and emotional weight. Ahilyabai Holkar, the 18th-century Maratha queen, is revered across India for restoring and patronising hundreds of Hindu temples during a period of widespread destruction under foreign rule. Manikarnika Ghat, meanwhile, holds unmatched spiritual significance, believed to grant moksha to those cremated there. The suggestion that a government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which positions itself as a protector of Hindu heritage, had damaged both the queen’s legacy and a Shiva temple at this site was bound to provoke outrage.
Opposition leaders were quick to seize the moment. Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh and Independent MP from Bihar Pappu Yadav, who is aligned with the Congress, took to X to accuse the government of behaving like “invaders” and destroying sacred structures. Dramatic visuals accompanied these posts, purporting to show broken idols and demolished temple structures, intensifying public anger.
However, as official statements, trust communications and independent fact-checks emerged, a very different picture came into focus.
What actually happened at Manikarnika Ghat
The controversy stems from events on January 10, 2025, when renovation work at Manikarnika Ghat led to the dismantling of a centuries-old madhi, a circular stone platform originally restored by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar in 1791. The structure housed carved stone effigies of the queen, integrated into the stonework rather than installed as free-standing idols.
During the demolition of the madhi, three stone slabs fractured. This technical detail, however, was quickly lost in translation on social media. According to Vishal Khanna, assistant manager of the Khasgi Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Charities Trust, the carved effigies themselves were not damaged. “The demolition of the madhi led to three stone pieces breaking, but the carved idols remain intact,” Khanna clarified.
The intact carvings were subsequently relocated to the Gurudham Temple, around three to four kilometres from Manikarnika Ghat, and placed under the custody of the state archaeology department. Worship has since commenced there, underscoring that the objects of reverence were neither desecrated nor destroyed.
The Kumbha Mahadev temple claim
The second and more sensational allegation concerned the supposed demolition of the Kumbha Mahadev Temple. Viral images circulated online showing what appeared to be a temple structure surrounded by rubble, presented as proof of ongoing destruction at Manikarnika.
Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal categorically denied the claim. He stated that the Kumbha Mahadev Temple is located within the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham complex, approximately 250 metres away from Manikarnika Ghat, and was never part of the redevelopment project. “The temple is completely safe and intact,” he said, adding that no religious structure had been demolished during the current work.
Truth behind the viral images
Initial police statements described the circulating visuals as “AI-generated,” prompting speculation about the use of artificial intelligence to fabricate damage. This led to the registration of eight FIRs at Chowk police station against individuals accused of spreading misleading content to hurt religious sentiments.
A more nuanced explanation later emerged through a fact-check by Hindi daily Dainik Jagran. The newspaper established that the viral image was not AI-generated but was around five years old, dating back to October 2021 during the construction of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. The photograph showed debris from that earlier project and had itself sparked similar rumours at the time, which were officially clarified by temple trust authorities.
The key issue, therefore, was not digital fabrication but deliberate misattribution. An old image from a different project and location was repackaged as evidence of fresh destruction at Manikarnika Ghat. Regardless of whether it was labelled AI-generated or simply reused, the effect was the same: widespread misinformation presented as breaking news.
Legal action and accountability
In response, the Uttar Pradesh Police registered cases against several individuals, including AAP MP Sanjay Singh, MP Pappu Yadav, Haryana Congress leader Jasvinder Kaur, and social media users Ashutosh Potnis, Pragya Gupta, Manish Singh, Ritu Rathore and Sandeep Singh Dev. Complaints were filed by Sangam Lal, the additional municipal commissioner and nodal officer for the beautification project, and a project manager from GVS, the executing agency.
The accused face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which carry potential sentences ranging from three to five years. Police issued notices seeking responses within 72 hours, indicating that forensic analysis would be completed before any further action.
Notably, the strongest factual criticism of the project did not come from political quarters but from the Holkar Trust itself. Trust president Yaswantrao Holkar wrote to Divisional Commissioner S. Rajalingam expressing displeasure over the demolition of the madhi without prior notice or consultation. The letter described the act as showing “complete disregard for the site’s history” and criticised the lack of communication with the trust and the Holkar royal family.
At the same time, the trust explicitly distanced itself from allegations of idol desecration or temple demolition. It reiterated support for “well-planned and sensitive development” and framed its demands as procedural: an inquiry into lapses in communication, accountability for officials involved, custody of the intact idols, and restoration of the carvings to their rightful place once redevelopment is complete.
Voices from Manikarnika
The Dom Raja family, hereditary custodians of cremation rites at Manikarnika for centuries, also backed the redevelopment project. Vishwanath Chaudhary of the family acknowledged the emotional cost of removing old structures, including parts of his own ancestral property, but maintained that redevelopment was necessary. “No redevelopment is possible without removing old structures,” he said, emphasising the need to modernise facilities.
Pilgrims echoed similar sentiments. Diwakar Shukla, who travelled from Jharkhand to perform last rites, spoke of overcrowding and inadequate arrangements. “Kashi should have facilities worthy of its stature. People are struggling due to the lack of space and infrastructure,” he said.
Art historian Prof Maruti Nandan Tiwari described the breaking of the stone slabs as unfortunate but warned against derailing an essential project through misinformation. He stressed the need to balance heritage conservation with functional improvement.
At the heart of the Manikarnika controversy lie two claims: that idols of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar were desecrated and that the Kumbha Mahadev Temple was demolished. Both claims have been conclusively disproved. The idols remain intact and under worship, and the temple stands untouched.
What did occur was a lapse in procedure and communication, a point even the Holkar Trust has acknowledged. But the leap from administrative failure to allegations of deliberate destruction was driven by misleading visuals and amplified by political rhetoric.
The episode shows how easily misinformation, especially involving religion and heritage, can spiral into mass outrage. In Manikarnika’s case, old images, stripped of context and weaponised on social media, briefly overshadowed facts.
