Holy water from the heavens? Pune locals offers prayers to tree in ‘miracle’ frenzy, engineers discover pipe leak below

NEW DELHI: Residents of Pimpri’s Premlok Park area gathered in large numbers to worship a gulmohar tree that appeared to be emitting water, believing it to be a miracle. The crowd offered garlands, turmeric, and flowers, and some even tried to sip the “holy water” flowing out of the tree.

However, the phenomenon was soon attributed to a burst underground water pipeline. A video of the incident, which occurred on the main road outside Sahara Society between 7 pm and 11 pm on June 6, has since gone viral and sparked conversations around the importance of education and the line between belief and superstition. Officials from the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) arrived on-site and conducted an inspection to determine the source of the water.“It’s not a miracle. An old water pipeline runs beneath the tree. Due to a leak, water found an outlet through the hollow trunk” said Pravin Dhumal, PCMC deputy engineer, as reported by Punekar News. Municipal staff promptly shut off the water supply and began repairs, ensuring that the tree was left undisturbed to avoid any environmental damage. The incident has drawn sharp criticism, with many highlighting the lack of awareness and scientific understanding that led to the tree being mistaken for a source of miraculous water.