A story about an Indian religious figure who said God had given him the power to fly has been going around social media and asking questions about it. The viral version says that man gathered a group of people on top of a mountain to demonstrate his powers but tragically fell from the mountain and died.
The story has been told many times with the claim that he believed he could fly with divine help. He was going to rise into the air in front of his followers but never saw the power promised.
However, the incident behind the viral video is not what is being spread online.
What Actually Happened
The incident took place in August 2021 at Gampa Mallayya Swamy hill in Singanamala mandal of Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district, fact-checking organisation Dismislab said.
The man was identified as Pappayya Swamy (49) a Hindu priest performing a special religious ritual at the hilltop. While he was performing the ritual, he lost his balance and fell into a gorge about 40 feet deep.
Many devotees were present when the tragedy occurred and the priest was killed.
Indian media at the time reported it as an accident during a religious ceremony. There was no evidence that the priest had said he could fly or staged a demonstration to prove it.
How Did the Flying Story Become Viral
Years after the original incident videos of priest falling from hill started circulating on social media with a different explanation.
Some posts said he had announced his ability to fly and asked people to come see his supernatural powers. The dramatic description got attention and the video was repeatedly shared with misleading captions.
انڈیا میں ایک بھگشو نے اعلان کیا کہ بھگوان نے اسے اڑنے کی شکتی عطا فرمائی ھے۔ اس نے لوگوں کو پہاڑ کی چوٹی پر اکٹھا کیا تاکہ اڑنے کا۔مظاہرہ کر سکے۔ لوگ آئے اور جب اس نے اڑنے کی کوشش کی تو پہاڑ سے گر کر مر گیا۔ شکتی نازل ہی نہیں ھوئ۔ بھگوان چکر دے گیا۔ پیرنی سے مماثلت اتفاقیہ ھے۔ https://t.co/TvrECFTPr6
— Parvez Baig 🍁 🇨🇦 (@ParvezBaig1055) November 6, 2026
This incident shows how old videos can resurface online with completely different stories and it’s hard to tell which is real news and which is a viral claim.
Social Media Reactions
The unusual flying story has also received humorous reactions and comments from social media users. Some viewers have questioned the idea of trying dangerous demonstrations based on unverified supernatural beliefs.
However, we should keep in mind the incident itself and not all of the extra claims attached to the viral video.
The tragedy is still a priest who falls from the hill while performing a religious ritual and dies; that he died trying to fly hasn’t been proven by credible evidence.
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