Fact-check: This is not a god sent rare flower, claims are false
The viral picture is neither that of rare udumbar or cluster fig tree and nor of shivlinga flower. The viral picture is that of cycas plant. Viral claims are false.
- By: Ankita Deshkar
- Published: Aug 12, 2020 at 03:27 PM
- Updated: Aug 29, 2020 at 04:46 PM
New Delhi (Vishvas News): A viral image on social media of a ‘god sent rare flower’ which blooms once in fifty years is being shared widely. Vishvas News in its investigation found the claim to be false.
Claim:
The Marathi post shared on Facebook says, “This is a rare udumbar or umbar (cluster fig) flower of Swami Samartha Maharaj. Seek blessings from the same and zoom to view. This flower is never visible to anyone. This is ‘Omkar flower’ which blooms once in fifty years. This is the glory of nature.
(Forward this so that people can see this too.)”
The post is shared by user “Kishori Malawadkar Upare As” on Facebook.
Check the post and the archive link.
Investigation:
Vishvas News started with the reverse image search of the picture which is being shared on the Facebook. We first separated the image from the text and then applied the Google reverse image search.
The reverse image search gives the Possible Related Search as “wood”
The second page of the search results gives a link and the complete picture of the “flower”.
The link mentions something in Malyalam, which says, “ശിവലിംഗപുഷ്പം.
99 വർഷത്തിൽ ഒരിക്കൽ മാത്രം പൂക്കുന്ന പുഷ്പം. (ഹിമാലയത്തിൽ) #💌 പ്രണയം”
Google translate on the content tells us: Shivalinga flower.
Flower only once in 99 years. (In the Himalayas) # 💌 Love
This made sure that the image was viral in various languages.
We then downloaded the complete image from the same link and did a reverse image search, Google image search gave us the same results as before and hence, we used the ‘Bing reverse image search’
The reverse image search from Bing lead us to the link from New Indian Express
The news mentioned:
Fossil tree from the time of dinosaurs
Gymnosperms, are one of the oldest groups of plants, have successfully evolved to sustain themselves on Earth even after 200 million plus years. Therefore, they are fondly known as Living Fossils!
The similar images were also found on Wikipedia page of Cycas.
This confirmed that this picture is neither that of cluster fig or Shivalinga flower.
Vishvas News then interacted with Pranay Tijare, Vice President of Arranya Environmental Organisation, who confirmed that the picture going viral was not that of ‘Omkar flower’ which blooms once in fifty years or Audumbar or Cluster fig. The plant belonged to the family of cycas.
The Facebook User who shared the picture created FB profile in September 2017, belongs to Mohol Maharashtra and is from Pune.
Conclusion: The viral picture is neither that of rare udumbar or cluster fig tree and nor of shivlinga flower. The viral picture is that of cycas plant. Viral claims are false.
- Claim Review : This is a rare udumbar or umbar (cluster fig) flower of Swami Samartha Maharaj. Seek blessings from the same and zoom to view. This flower is never visible to anyone. This is 'Omkar flower' which blooms once in fifty years. This is the glory of nature. (Forward this so that people can see this too.)
- Claimed By : Kishori Malawadkar Upare As
- Fact Check : False
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