Did Bicycles exist in India 2000 years ago? Here is the truth behind viral image of TN temple carvings…

Images of bicycle carvings are going viral on Facebook with a claim that these carvings are from a 2000-year-old temple in Tamil Nadu. Users who have shared the images have also claimed that there was the concept of bicycles in ancient India before the invention of bicycles in the 1800s.

However, when we fact checked these images, we found that the images are not from Tamil Nadu nor they are ancient. Here is the complete truth about these viral images.

Viral Post on Facebook

Facebook

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In the above post, we can see two images of cyclist carved on walls. The caption of the post claims that these are the engravings on the wall of a 2000-year-old temple in Tamil Nadu. The user, however, does not mention the name of the temple. The post has received over 60 comments in which users seem to be convinced that this indeed is an ancient carving on the wall of an Indian temple. 

Fact Check

The Google reverse image search of the images show that the images are not from Tamil Nadu. The first image of a bicycle rider seen along with a child and a woman is a carving by a Nigerian sculptor Arowogun (Areogun) of Osi-Ilorin. We found the image on Pinterest with the following description seen in the screenshot below.

View the post here – Pinterest

As per the description, the art is attributed to Areogun of Osi-Ilorin. We searched about Areogun and found that he was a master sculptor from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria. He mostly sculpted scenes from daily life. His fascination with bicycles can be seen in his another creation Divination Bowl.

Arowogun’s full name was Dada Arowogun and he used to create such sculptors for royal families of Nigeria. You can read the following thread on Divination Bowl by twitter handle Yoruba History-by NNP for more details about these bowls and Arowogun.

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The second image is from a Hindu temple in Bali. The cyclist seen on the bas-relief is actually a Dutch traveler W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp who toured the island in his bicycle in the early 20^th century. You can read the details about this Bas-relief on the stock image website Alamy.

View the photo here – Alamy

However, there is an ancient temple in Tamil Nadu where you can find the carving of a cyclist on the wall. Chola king Kochengannan Chozhan built the Woraiyur Panchavarna swamy temple in Tamil Nadu in the 5^th century.

However, Dr. Kalaikovan, the founder of Thiruchirapalli based M. Rajamanickkanar Center for Historical Research has refuted the claims. In a report published by The Hindu, Dr. Kalaikovan has explained, “Perhaps the sculptor had seen someone on a cycle was impressed by it and had recorded it forever on stone.” In the 1920s when the temple was renovated maybe the sculptor who was captivated by a boy riding a bicycle decided to engrave it on the wall of the ancient temple.

You can read fact checks on the Panchavarna Swamy temple published by Fact Crescendo in Tamil and Malayalam by following the links given below.

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Read in Malayalam | 2000 കൊല്ലം മുമ്പ് നിര്‍മിച്ച ക്ഷേത്രത്തിന്‍റെ ചുമരുകളില്‍ 200 കൊല്ലം മുമ്പേ ആവിഷ്കരിച്ച സൈക്കിള്‍ എങ്ങനെ…?

Read in Tamil | திருச்சி கோவிலில் மொபைல், விண்வெளி வீரர் சிற்பம்- ஃபேஸ்புக் பதிவு உண்மையா?

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Conclusion

It is evident from the fact check that the images shared on Facebook claimed to be a 2000-year-old carving of a bicycle on an ancient Tamil Nadu temple are not from Tamil Nadu. The images are also not ancient and the carvings were made after bicycle were invented in the 19^th century. However, there is a 2000-year-old temple in Tamil Nadu called Panchavarna swamy temple. On one of the walls of the temple, there is a carving of a boy riding a bicycle. Experts say that this could have been carved during the renovation of the temple in the 1920s.