Devotees at a temple in Vrindavan, India, queued to drink the water dripping from an elephant sculpture, believing it was holy water from the feet of Lord Krishna, but is was only condensation from the temple’s air conditioning.

Shocking videos showing dozens of people at the Shri Banke Bihari temple in the city of Vrindavan queuing in front of a wall-mounted elephant statue to drink the liquid dripping from it once again brought into the spotlight the barrier between religious devotion and critical thinking or even common sense. it was reported that all these people believed the liquid to be Charan Amrit (sacred water from the feet of Lord Krishna), when in fact it was merely condensation from the temple’s air conditioning unit. Temple authorities issued a clarification to convince people to stop drinking the dripping liquid.

“We respect the faith people have in God, but it’s essential to inform them,” Dinesh Goswami, a temple sevak, said. The water they believe to be ‘Charan Amrit’ is actually just water from the AC. The real ‘Charan Amrit’ would contain ingredients like Tulsi and rose petals.”

Drinking air conditioning condensation may seem harmless, but experts warn that AC units harbor all sorts of bacteria and fungi that can cause serious health problems.

While some praised the unwavering faith of the devotees, others criticised them for being so gullible as to mistake AC condensation for a real-life miracle. Upon learning the truth, many of the devotees waiting to try the so-called Charan Amrit were disappointed and ultimately blamed the temple for failing to explain the “miracle” to them.

 

“We come here with deep faith, and now this news breaks our hearts. The temple must prevent people from consuming this water, believing it to be divine,” one outraged person commented