The row over the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati laddoos may have sparked a massive political row in Andhra Pradesh, but it has not hit the sale of this prized prasad at Sri Venkateshwara Temple, which draws over 60,000 pilgrims daily.
According to the temple administration, over 14 lakh Tirupati laddoos have been sold over four days. A total of 3.59 lakh laddoos were sold on September 19, 3.17 lakh on September 20, 3.67 lakh on September 21, and 3.60 lakh on September 22. The sales figures match their average of 3.50 lakh laddoos daily.
When NDTV asked devotees about this, Venkateshwar Rao replied, “Our faith is too strong to be shaken.” Several devotees also said the row over Tirupati laddoos is a “thing of the past now”.
Every day, over 3 lakh laddoos are prepared at the temple. Pilgrims visiting the temple buy them in large numbers, often to give to friends and relatives.
Ingredients of Tirupati laddu include Bengal gram, cow ghee, sugar, cashews, raisins, and almonds. A whopping 15,000 kg of cow ghee is used daily for preparing laddoos.
The Tirupati temple is at the centre of a massive row after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that ghee used to prepare Tirupati laddoos during the previous YSRCP regime contained animal fat. The state government has formed a Special Investigation Team to investigate the matter.
Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, whose party was voted out in the state polls this year, has accused the ruling TDP of “politicising religious matters”.
“The tender process occurs every six months, and the qualification criteria have not changed for decades. Suppliers must provide an NABL certificate and a product quality certificate. The TTD collects samples of the ghee, and only products that pass certification are used. The TDP is politicising religious matters,” he said, alleging that Mr Naidu is a “pathological and habitual liar”.
