Are Muslim Women in These Pics Really Celebrating Mahashivratri?

What’s the truth behind a social media post that claimed Muslim women celebrated Mahashivratri?

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Don’t fall for fake news, click here to check out The Quint’s WebQoof stories.

A post claiming that burqa-clad Muslim women took out a kanwar yatra on the eve of Mahashivratri on Monday, 4 March, this year is being shared widely on social media.

A Facebook post claimed that Muslim women celebrated Mahashivratri.  (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ @JayaKishori.page)

The post in Hindi reads: “इंदौर में महाशिवरात्री के मौके पर मुस्लिम माताओं बहनो ने बुर्का पहनकर उठाई कांवड़। ॐ नमः शिवाय लिखक्रर शिव भक्त मुस्लिम बहनों का स्वागत नहीं करोगे ?”

The translation of this post reads, “On the eve of Mahashivratri in Indore, Muslim mothers and sisters lifted kanwar in burqa. Won’t you welcome devotees of Shiv, Muslim sisters by writing Om Namah Shivay?”

While the message intends to indicate at a shared communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims, the truth of this picture is not what has been claimed in the post shared by scores of people on Facebook.

In another such social media share, the same post has got nearly 7,000 shares at the time of this story being filed.

A Facebook post claiming Muslim women celebrated Mahashivratri gained traction a day after the festival.  (Photo Courtesy: Facebook screengrab)

Multiple sharing of these posts on Facebook claimed that women took out a kanwar yatra on Mahashivratri in February 2019.(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

What’s the Truth Behind These Pictures?

A simple reverse google image search reveals that the claims made in these posts are factually incorrect. Not only are these pictures from 2015 and are being falsely circulated again in 2019, but even the occasion mentioned is wrong because the context is completely different.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the Muslim women seen in these pictures are, in fact, participating in a march taken out by the Backward and Minority Finance Corporation and BJP unit in Madhya Pradesh to deliver the message of social harmony among people.

Moreover, the march saw participation from women of different faiths as well, the report added.

(Not convinced of a story you came across on social media and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9910181818 and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)