Fact-Checking Policy

Our Approach to Verification

Sacred Places India treats fact-checking as the core of the work. Pages are checked against authoritative sources before publication wherever such a source can be found, and a claim that cannot be supported is removed rather than softened. Everything published here is checked by one editor, so the standard below describes what one person can honestly sustain on every page.

Sources & References

We prioritize the following types of sources, in order of authority:

1. Primary archaeological evidence — ASI site reports, temple inscriptions, excavation records.
2. Government heritage records — UNESCO World Heritage documentation, state archaeology department records, INTACH reports.
3. Peer-reviewed academic sources — journal articles in Indian art history, archaeology, and South Asian studies.
4. Official temple sources — temple trust websites, official government tourism portals.
5. Reputable reference works — encyclopedias of Indian temple architecture, dynastic histories, and architectural surveys.

Fact-Checking Process

Every article or temple page goes through the following checks:

• Claim verification: Material claims (dates, dynasties, architectural styles, dimensions) are checked against independent sources wherever more than one exists, and a claim resting on a single source is identified as such on the page.
• Consistency check: Information is compared across related pages to ensure no internal contradictions exist.
• Source currency: Sources are checked for publication date to ensure they reflect the latest archaeological understanding.
• Context review: Claims are evaluated within their proper historical and cultural context to avoid misinterpretation.

Handling Disputed Information

Where scholarly consensus does not exist (for example, disputed construction dates or conflicting dynastic attributions), we present the most widely accepted view while noting alternative perspectives. This transparent approach allows readers to understand the current state of knowledge rather than presenting speculation as settled fact.

Worked Example

A widely repeated claim states that the Mundeshwari Temple in Bihar has been carbon dated to 108 CE. Checking that claim:

1. Search the primary record for a published carbon-dating result. None exists for this structure.
2. Read what the ASI plaque at the site states: an inscription dated 635 CE.
3. Check the scholarly literature, which dates the surviving structure to the 6th–7th century CE.
4. Publish all three positions together rather than choosing one and presenting it as settled.

The claim was therefore removed, and the page now states the 108 CE date as claimed and debated, with the inscription and scholarly dates alongside it.

What We Do Not Do

• We do not invent citations or attribute a claim to a source we have not read.
• We do not present mythology or sacred tradition as verified history; such passages are labelled as belief.
• We do not generate "last verified" dates. A date appears only when we have actually reviewed the page.
• We do not publish visitor rules, timings or fees as settled fact where the authorities concerned have not settled them.

Reporting Errors

If you believe any content on Sacred Places India contains a factual error, please contact us at sacredplaceindiahello@gmail.comwith the specific URL, the claimed error, and your supporting source. We investigate every report and issue corrections promptly when verified.

Related Policies

See Sources & Methodology for the sources we rely on, Corrections Policy for how fixes are made, and Disclaimer for the limits of what this site can tell you.