An old image of actor Amitabh Bachchan visiting Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan has resurfaced with claims that he visited Mumbai's Haji Ali Dargah to offer prayers after he recovered from COVID-19.
BOOM found that the image is from July 2011, when the senior actor visited the religious shrine after almost 40 years.
The image has been widely shared on Facebook with the viral claim in Hindi which reads, "Jai Jai Shri Ram. When he was diagnosed with the Coronavirus, then there were several prayers offered in temples for his speedy recovery. And after recovering he went to Haji Ali Dargah to offer auspicious sheet and donate. So sad Boycott Kaun Banega Crorepati."
(Original text in Hindi: जय जय श्री राम जब इस को कोरोना हुआ था तब इसके जल्द ही स्वस्थ होने के लिए मंदिरों मे आरती यग सुंदरकांड का अखंड पाठ हो रहा और ये ठीक होने के बाद चादर चढ़ाने हाजी अली की था... दरगाह गया..So sad... Boycott कौन बनेगा करोड़पति)
The 77-year old actor was admitted to Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital after testing COVID-19 positive on July 11. Senior Bachchan returned home on August 2 after recovering. Amitabh Bachchan's son Abhishek Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and granddaughter Aaradhya had also tested positive and recovered during the same period.
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Fact Check
BOOM ran a keyword search with "Amitabh Bachchan Dargah" and found the same image in a slideshow on India Today that covered Bachchan's visit to the Ajmer Sharif, Rajasthan in 2011. The report stated that the actor offered a "beautiful velvet shawl to the shrine and also interacted with his fans during the visit." Ajmer Sharif is a shrine of the revered Sufi saint Moinuddin Chisti.
Moments of Bachchan's visit were also featured in a bulletin by NDTV and swaminews where the actor can be seen making his way to the shrine through a swarm of his fans.
The Hindu reported on July 5, 2011, that the actor left for Jaipur after offering prayers at the holy shrine. Read more: Amitabh visits Ajmer Sharif after 40 years."
Bachchan also shared a series of tweets about his visit to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah.