Fact check: Will ₹500 notes have Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir and Lord Ram pics? Here’s the truth behind viral claim

A claim has been going viral on social media that new ₹500 banknotes featuring Lord Ram instead of Mahatma Gandhi, Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir in place of the Red Fort, and a bow and an arrow instead of glasses will be issued on January 22 - the day when the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will take place. However, upon investigation, it was found that the image of the banknote is fake.

Read live updates on Ram Mandir here.

The image was originally shared by X handle @raghunmurthy07. It soon gained traction online, and people started sharing it with the claim that the new ₹500 banknote will be issued on January 22.

Here’s the original post:

After the image gained traction, the X user, who uses the handle @raghunmurthy07, clarified, “Someone has misused my creative work to spread misinformation on Twitter. I want to clarify that I do not support or own any of the misinformation they have attributed to my work. It’s important to me that my creativity is not misrepresented in any way. #misinformation #creativity.”

Another X user, Divya Kamat, quoted a post on the banknotes with the viral claim and wrote, “Edited by my friend @raghunmurthy07, this piece is a product of creativity and not intended to be presented as notes. Please refrain from spreading misinformation.”

Read all developments related to the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Opening Ceremony here.

We also checked the website of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to find out if there was any update related to the viral claim. Upon visiting the ‘Know Your Notes’ section, we found that the design of the ₹500 note has not been altered. The note still displays Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait on the front, images of the Red Fort, and a pair of glasses on the back.