Bill Gates at the Mahakumbh Mela? Unraveling the Viral Video Mystery
A viral video claims Bill Gates attended the Mahakumbh Mela, but fact-checking reveals it's false. Learn the truth behind the misinformation.
Did Bill Gates Really Attend the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj? Unveiling the Truth Behind the Viral Video
The world’s biggest religious congregation Mahakumbh Mela kicked off on 13 January at the Sangam here in Prayagraj. Millions have gone to seek benediction near the meeting place of the mythological Saraswati with two real Ganga and Yamuna rivers for some spiritual ritual ceremonies. While doing this holy puja amid huge grandeur a video surfaced, generating curiosity all across social media networks about attendance from the father of Microsoft by one of the Co-founders named Bill Gates attending Mahakumbh Mela but is that real?
Fact-Check: Was Bill Gates Really at Mahakumbh?
The reason is pretty simple—Bill Gates did not go to the Mahakumbh Mela. The viral video happens to be a much older one that has been circulating on social media since 2024’s December. It was initially uploaded with claims saying that this time, Gates would be spotted to come to Kashi, which is another very sacred city of India.
There is no evidence, however, to confirm that Gates has ever been to Kashi or Prayagraj. The man in the video bears an uncanny resemblance to the billionaire philanthropist. However, Gates has made no public claim of having recently visited India. In fact, that is the biggest contradiction with the viral narrative.
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The Power of Viral Misinformation
This video went viral pretty quickly, with shares on many social media accounts, even a few with millions of followers. However, it’s easy to fact-check: the timeline just doesn’t work out—the video predates the Mahakumbh Mela, which began in January 2025.
Second, besides this, Gates is known to update his social networking sites with a detailed report of all his international tours. His visit to India last year was very well reported and documented. That such an update is lacking makes the claim of his presence at the Mahakumbh Mela utterly unbelievable.
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Notable Visitors to the Mahakumbh Mela
Although the news about Bill Gates’s visit to Mahakumbh is declined, the count of personalities who are visiting this festival is pretty significant. Laurene Powell Jobs-the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs-made headlines when she visited a special ceremony to pay tributes to a spiritual leader. The fact that her visit is included in the event made its already huge global profile, and it showed how universal the appeal of the event was.
In conclusion, even though the Mahakumbh Mela attracts millions of devotees and celebrities, the claims that Bill Gates was attending the event are just a rumor. The viral video is a wake-up call for verification before belief or sharing.
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