September 5, 2026 | 02:34 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several posts on Facebook [archive] and Instagram claim the discovery of a shaligram stone, or ancient seashell fossil, that surfaced after the flash flood in Nepal on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. One of the posts was captioned, "The black stone with a perfect spiral emerged in Nepal after the flood. It is 140 million years old. Its name is Shaligram." Is it true that a shaligram stone was found after the flash flood in Nepal in late August 2026?
FACT CHECK
Tempo verified the content using reverse image search, geolocation, and confirmation from credible sources. The result is that the object in the circulating photos and videos is a statue made by a Nepalese artist to promote tourism in the Kali Gandaki River valley, Jomsom.
Visual Verification
The content was already circulating on the internet before the flash flood hit Nepal on August 26, 2026. Identical photos were published in Nepalese media, Online Khabar, on June 30, 2026. The object in the photo is a statue created by a sculptor from the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, exhibited on the banks of the Kali Gandaki River, Jomsom. The statue installation was also reported by other Nepalese media such as Himalaya Times and Desh Sanchar.
A video featuring another shaligram statue was found on the Instagram account @nepal.360, uploaded on August 11, 2026. The post explained that shaligram is revered by Hindus, so the shaligram-shaped statue has become a religious tourist attraction for local residents.
Geolocation Check
Citing the US Geological Survey (USGS), a glacial collapse in the Langtang National Park triggered a massive flood nearly 100 kilometers to the downstream settlements of the Lende Khola and Trishuli Khola rivers on August 26, 2026. Meanwhile, the shaligram statue installation is located on the banks of the Kali Gandaki River, Jomsom. It is located about 400 kilometers from the center of the disaster and the areas affected by the flash flood.
CONCLUSION
Tempo concludes that the discovery of the shaligram fossil after the flash flood in Nepal is false information. The shaligram is a man-made statue located 400 kilometers from the flood center.
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