In the early hours of 21 September 1995, worshippers at a southern New Delhi temple witnessed milk 'vanish' when offered by spoon to a Ganesha statue. Reports and photographs of the event spread rapidly by telephone and media, prompting devotees to line up across India and in diaspora communities worldwide.
Researchers from India’s Ministry of Science and Technology and the Indian Rationalist Association showed that capillary action and surface tension caused a thin film of milk to be drawn up from the spoon and flow down the statue, creating the impression of drinking.
Phenomenon and Diffusion
By mid-morning, reports emerged from temples in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Within hours, Hindu communities in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Nepal and the UAE conducted the same offering ritual, leading to widespread media coverage and local queues at temples.
Scientific Investigation
Teams led by Ross McDowall added food colouring to milk offerings and recorded the liquid’s behavior under magnification. They demonstrated that milk adhered to and soaked into minute surface pores, before flowing along carved channels, ultimately tricking the eye.
Devotional Impact
The sudden surge in temple attendance and household offerings led to a temporary spike in milk demand—sales in Delhi jumped by over 30%. While many devotees interpreted the event as a sign of divine blessing, others saw a harmonious interplay of faith and natural phenomenon.
Subsequent Reports
A similar phenomenon occurred on 20–21 August 2006, again attributed by scientific observers to surface tension and capillary effects. These repeat occurrences reinforced the consensus that physical principles, rather than supernatural forces, underlay the event.
Though revered by some as a moment of faith, the 1995 Ganesha milk phenomenon exemplifies how empirical study can reveal the ordinary science behind extraordinary experiences.