Holy man's dream sparks treasure hunt in India

Jonathan Warren

Author: Jonathan Warren

11.12.2024

News

A Hindu holy man's dream has sparked a treasure hunt in northern India, the Guardian reports. Archaeologists have started digging beneath a 19th-century fort in the state of Uttar Pradesh after Hindu swami Shobhan Sarkar said that it was revealed to him in a dream that a huge amount of treasure was buried on the site. The treasure hunt began after the swami told a government minister of his mysterious dream. He said the spirit of King Rao Ram Baksh Singh, who was hanged in 1858 after rising up against British colonial forces, told him that 1,000 tonnes of treasure, worth almost £30bn, was hidden under the fort in Uttar Pradesh. Sceptics might question how much cheese the swami had eaten the night before, but when geological and archaeological officials surveyed the area following the revelation, they did indeed find evidence of metal about 20 metres underground.
A swarm of interested parties have already come forward to stake their claim on the treasure, with descendants of King Rao stating that they are entitled to a share. Local lawmaker Kuldeep Senger made what was perhaps the most reasonable suggestion, saying: "The treasure trove should be used for the development of the state". A family in Uttar Pradesh A family in Uttar Pradesh