No, Bill Gates did not visit Kashi Vishwanath temple during 2025 'Mahakumbh'

The Verdict [False]
The individual seen in the viral clip is not former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. The Gates Foundation has confirmed that the claim is false

What’s the claim?

Amid the Mahakumbh festival, the world’s largest Hindu gathering being held in Prayagraj in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a video claiming to show former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates visiting the Kashi Vishwanath temple in India has gone viral on social media. Kashi Vishwanath, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

The video is a long shot zooming into a close-up of three people standing on a balcony, observing the crowds below. Social media users have claimed that the man wearing a blue shirt and black-framed glasses is Gates.

A Facebook user shared the video with the caption, “Bill Gates stood at Manikarnika Ghat, observing the sacred ritual of cremation, deeply experiencing the essence of Hindu culture and traditions. His journey to explore the rich heritage continues as he heads to Prayagraj for the historic Maha Kumbh, an event happening after 144 years, showcasing his profound respect for Hindu culture.” Archived versions of more such posts on Facebook can be found here and here.

Additionally, entertainment news channel Pinkvilla and content creator Curly Tales shared the video with the same narrative on Facebook. Archived versions of the posts can be found here and here.

Screenshot of claims made online. (Source: Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, we found that the video has been online since December 2024, before the Mahakumbh began. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has denied the claim that Gates visited the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

What we found

A reverse image search on various keyframes from the viral video led us to the original video uploaded to a YouTube channel named ‘Gulluck’ (archived here). The video was uploaded on December 24, 2024, with the caption, “A man looks like Bill Gates,” accompanied by the hashtag #duplicatebillgates. This shows that the video predates the 2025 Mahakumbh, which officially began on January 13, 2025, and is set to continue until February 26.

Upon further review of the YouTube channel, we discovered another video (archived here) shared on December 30, 2024, showing similar scenes. In this clip, the YouTuber can be seen standing next to the three people atop the same structure.

We also noted a discrepancy — the man alleged to be Gates in the viral video was not accompanied by any visible security. Additionally, we checked Gates’ official social media accounts, including his profiles on X and Facebook, but found no mentions or posts about his recent visit to India.

Logically Facts then contacted the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for clarification, and the foundation responded, “This claim is false.”

The verdict

The viral video was initially uploaded in December 2024, predating the Mahakumbh festival. The Gates Foundation has also denied the viral claim.

(With inputs from Ishita Goel)

This article is written by Umme Kulsum and republished from Logically Facts. Read the original article here.

With inputs from Logically Facts as part of the Shakti Collective.