The cover story of Tuesday's edition of Mumbai tabloid Mid Day discussed the relaunch of the book Christ Parichay, written by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh founder Ganesh Savarkar.
It is commonly believed that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and preached in Jerusalem, spending his entire life around modern-day Israel. But Ganesh Savarkar, the brother of Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar, makes suggestions to the contrary. He propounds the theory that Christ died in Kashmir and that Christianity was a sect of Hinduism.
Among other claims made in the book are that Jesus' real name was Keshao Krishna, he was a Tamil Brahmin by birth and that he had a dark complexion. Savarkar also says that Christ travelled to India, where he learnt yoga, and that he was revived after his crucifixion with medicinal herbs and plants.
The book was first published in 1946. Seventy years on, the Marathi book will be brought back into circulation on February 26 by the Savarkar National Memorial in Mumbai.
A number of conspiracy theories of Christ have surfaced over the years, including his supposed links to India. The revival of the latest one induced a few laughs on social media. Here's a selection:
The news also reminded one user about a scene from the '90s British television comedy Goodness Gracious Me, where a British Indian father enlightens his son on why Christianity must have originated in India:
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