Krishna's Painting, Created by Russian Artist, Falsely Linked to Panjshir Valley

The painting was created by Russian artist Rasikananda Das who denied any link to Panjshir valley in Afghanistan.

An image of Lord Krishna's painting is being widely shared on social media with the claim that the painting is in a palace in Panjshir valley in Afghanistan.

However, we found that the painting was created by Russian artist Rasikananda Das who has denied that the painting is in Panjshir. He had created this illustration in Sochi, South Russia in 1999.

CLAIM

A part of the claim along with the image reads: "This painting exists (don't know for how many days more) in the Panjsheer Palace in the erstwhile Gandhara kingdom of Mahabharata time, the present day Afghanistan...(sic)."

The image has gone viral on Facebook with many users sharing it with the same claim and the archived version of the posts can be viewed here, here, and here.

The Quint received a query on the claim being made about the image on its WhatsApp tipline as well.

WHAT WE FOUND OUT

We conducted a reverse image search on the viral image and found that the image was uploaded on the website of 'Art Spb,' a Russian art gallery in St Petersburg.

The organisation had credited the image to one Rasikananda.

As per the artist's bio available on the website, he is a member of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia and the International Federation of Artists (IFA).

Further, on 18 September, artist Rasikananda Das had issued a clarification on the viral image saying that it's his original creation and does not show any historical site.

Speaking to The Quint's WebQoof team, Das called out the viral claim and said:

"It’s my painting, I did it in Sochi, South Russia in 1999. The subject for this illustration is from Srimad Bhagavatam, 7th canto. This painting is my original creation and it is not Panjshir at all."

Meanwhile, we could not find any articles on paintings of Lord Krishna being placed at a palace in Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley.

Evidently, a painting created by a Russian artist is being falsely linked to the Panjshir valley in Afghanistan.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)