Several notable people, ranging from sportspersons, religious figures, politicians to actors attended the consecration ceremony of the idol at Ayodhya's Ram temple on 22 January.
Amid visuals of celebrities attending the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony being shared on social media, many users shared a variety of visuals of cricketer Virat Kohli and actor Anushka Sharma, claiming that the two were also in attendance.
Click here to view an archived version of this claim.
(Source: X/Screenshot)
An archive of this post can be seen here.
(Source: X/Screenshot)
To view an archived version of this claim, click here.
(Source: Instagram/Screenshot)
The truth: Neither Sharma nor Kohli had attended the consecration ceremony, despite being invited.
All visuals shared with this claim are old and not related to the Ram Temple's ceremony on 22 January.
How did we find out?: For the claims highlighted above, we used reverse image search in case of images, and InVID, a video verification tool, to verify videos.
Let us take a look at all the visuals being shared.
Visuals 1 and 2: Kohli in a Black Kurta
Photos and videos of Kohli dressed in a black kurta and waving to photographers went viral on social media with the false claim.
These visuals were linked to the Ram Mandir's consecration ceremony.
(Source: X/Facebook/Altered by The Quint)
We found that both these visuals were from the same event from September 2023, when they were shared as photos and videos of Kohli attending a Ganesh Chaturthi event in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
The video was first shared on 20 September 2023.
(Source: YouTube/Altered by The Quint)
The designer of the kurta worn by Kohli also shared this photograph in September.
Visual 3: Kohli in a Black Kurta and Saffron Shawl
Similar to the last photo, this photo shows Kohli with a saffron shawl to added to his outfit.
A photo similar to the previous claim also went viral.
(Source: Facebook)
This visual too, was captured during Ganesh Chaturthi festivities in September 2023, when Kohli visited politician Rahul Kanal's residence during the festival.
Kohli can be seen with and without the shawl in this video report by ABP Mazha.
Visual 4: Kohli, Sharma Together With Folded Hands
This photograph of Anushka Sharma and Kohli wearing white and black outfits respectively is also being shared on social media, where users are claiming that it shows a recent photo of the couple in Ayodhya.
This photo of Kohli and Sharma together was shared on social media.
(Source: X)
However, this photo is old.
It shows Sharma and Kohli in Dehradun, at Swami Dayanand's ashram.
The photo dates back to February 2023, as seen in this The Times of India photo story.
The photo dates back to February 2023.
(Source: TOI/Altered by The Quint)
Visual 5: The Couple Standing With a Saint
Another photo showing the couple standing with a saint is being shared with the false claim.
This photo of the couple is also being shared by some users.
(Source: X)
This photo dates back to December 2016, and shows them in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
The image was found in several articles speculating their engagement, all published a year prior to their wedding in Tuscany, Italy.
The photo dates back to 2016.
(Source: Deccan Herald/Altered by The Quint)
Visual 6: Kohli, Sharma Attending an Event
Lastly, a video of the couple walking indoors before seating themselves is also being shared, with users linking the video to the Ram Mandir's consecration ceremony.
A video showing Sharma and Kohli seating themselves is being shared.
(Source: Facebook)
We found these visuals in news reports and fan pages on social media, which had shared the video or its screenshot in June 2023.
All posts and reports mentioned that the duo were spotted at a Krishna Das Kirtan performance in the Union Chapel in London.
The video is from June 2023.
(Source: Free Press Journal/Altered by The Quint)
Conclusion: Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma did not attend the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishta (Consecration) ceremony in Ayodhya on 22 January. All visuals being shared claiming to show them at the temple are old.
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