A viral video capturing devotees at the famous Shri Banke Bihari Mandir in Vrindavan mistakenly drinking water from an elephant-shaped outlet—believed to be “Charan Amrit” or holy water from the feet of Lord Krishna—has sparked reactions on social media.

The video shows temple-goers eagerly gathering the dripping water in cups and with their hands, reverently placing it on their heads, and drinking it. Many assumed the water was divine, coming from the feet of Lord Krishna. However, as per temple staff and a visitor recording the scene, the water was actually from the air-conditioning system and not holy at all.

In the footage, a temple visitor can be heard clarifying, “Didi, this is AC water, not Charan Amrit from Lord Krishna’s feet. The priests here have confirmed it.” Despite the clarification, some devotees smiled and continued, undeterred by the information. The visitor, concerned for their health, advised against drinking the water, warning it could lead to infections.

Online reactions to the incident ranged from humorous to critical. One commenter quipped, “Who knew a little AC could turn into a divine experience? Just wait until they start calling it Heavenly Hydration!” Another remarked, “This can happen only in India,” while a third suggested, “At least the temple trust could have put a notice there cautioning people.” Others expressed that devotees’ faith should be respected, with one comment reading, “They have faith. Let them do.”

This incident mirrors a similar occurrence in 2012 in Mumbai, where water dripping from the feet of a Jesus Christ statue was initially believed to be miraculous. Upon investigation, rationalist Sanal Edamaruku discovered the water source to be a clogged drainage pipe rather than a divine phenomenon.