In the wake of growing concerns among devotees about the quality of ghee used in the famous Tirupati ‘laddu prasadam,’ the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) assured that the sanctity of the sacred offering has been fully restored.
In a social media post on Friday night, the TTD, which oversees the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple on the Tirumala Hills, reaffirmed the purity of the revered Srivari Laddu. “The divinity and purity of Srivari laddu is unblemished now. TTD is committed to protecting the holiness of Laddu Prasadam to the satisfaction of all the devotees,” the temple board stated.
Earlier, the temple management revealed it had discovered sub-standard ghee, including the presence of lard, during quality testing. This disclosure followed allegations raised by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu two days prior.
Accusations were directed at the previous YSRCP regime, with former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy dismissing the claims as “diversion politics” and labeling the matter a “concocted story.” In response, the Central government has sought a detailed report from the Andhra Pradesh administration, promising appropriate action based on the findings.
Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi has also called for an investigation into the allegations surrounding the adulteration of ghee used in the temple’s prasadam.
On Friday, citing a lab report, TTD stated that tests had confirmed the presence of lard (pig fat) and other impurities in certain samples. TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao confirmed that the board is in the process of blacklisting the contractor responsible for supplying the adulterated ghee.
(With media inputs)