31 years ago, Ganesha 'drank' milk and India went viral without social media
In 1995, a fascinating phenomenon swept across India when Ganesha idols were believed to have consumed milk, igniting fervor among devotees. Temples experienced massive influxes of worshippers, while milk vanished from store shelves in no time. This incredible event gained momentum through traditional communication channels, with scientists later attributing the occurrence to capillary action and…
Thirty-one years ago, on September 21, 1995, a young boy discovered that his aunt had gone to feed milk to Lord Ganesha. He called a friend, and both of them heard similar stories from their families. The next day, the boy's mother saw milk disappearing from her plate as she offered it to Ganesha. The tale spread like wildfire, with temples overflowing and milk vanishing from shops.
India was largely offline in 1995, with internet access just beginning and television dominated by the state broadcaster Doordarshan. The news traveled through word of mouth, religious communities, radio, television, and newspapers, but the Ganesha story still managed to spread quickly, reaching Hindu communities around the world.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
