Tirupati laddu row: Temple trust's big assurance to devotees amid ‘beef tallow’ in prasadam, says 'divinity, purity of..

Amid the grandeur and devotion surrounding the world-famous Tirupati ‘laddu prasadam,’ unsettling claims have shaken the faith of millions of devotees. What was once considered a divine offering is now embroiled in controversy. A recent lab test conducted by the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat revealed that the ghee used to prepare the laddus contained traces of "foreign fat," sparking outrage and concerns among worshippers.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the body managing the revered Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple, rushed to reassure devotees. In an official statement, they claimed that the purity of the Srivari Laddu had been restored and is now "unblemished." However, questions about the sanctity of the prasadam continue to haunt the temple, with the board admitting that the ghee used had been adulterated by its supplier.

TTD's Executive Officer, J. Shyamala Rao, confirmed that tests had indeed found animal fat in the ghee samples, leading to the blacklisting of the contractor responsible. Amidst this uproar, political tensions flared. The newly-elected Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government accused the previous regime, led by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, of allowing such adulteration.

Reddy, however, dismissed these allegations as political manoeuvring, claiming that all ghee used in the prasadam undergoes strict quality checks. He further vowed to escalate the matter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Justice of India, dismissing the claims as diversionary tactics by his political opponents.

As the controversy rages on, the lab report revealed disturbing details, including the possible presence of beef tallow and lard in the sacred offering. This revelation has left many devotees grappling with the question: can the purity of the prasadam ever be fully restored?