Purification Ritual Performed at Tirupati Temple Amid Row Over Animal Fats in Laddoos

Hyderabad: The Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, was “purified” on Monday after allegations that ghee used in its famous laddoos contained animal fat, including fish oil, beef tallow and lard. A ‘maha shani homam’ ritual was performed by a large group of priests to restore the sanctity of the prasadam and ensure the well-being of devotees.

Krishna Seshachala Deekshitulu, one of the head priests, assured devotees that the temple and its offerings were now purified. “Everything is purified… I request all the devotees not to worry anymore. Come have darshan and take ‘prasadam’ back home,” he said.

Syamala Rao, Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which oversees the temple, confirmed the rituals lasted four hours, starting from 6 am, with particular focus on the kitchen where the laddoos are made. Rao also said the temple has now switched to a new procurement system for pure cow ghee, which has enhanced the taste of the laddoos and other offerings.

The controversy erupted when a lab report from Gujarat, dated July 17, suggested the presence of animal fat in the ghee samples. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) brought the issue to light, prompting the CM to order a special police investigation. Naidu, who has accused non-Hindus of influencing temple management, stressed that “many inappropriate things” occurred in recent years and promised that non-Hindus would no longer be allowed on the temple board.

In addition to the ghee controversy, Naidu criticised the temple’s former Chairperson Bhumana Karunakar Reddy of the YSR Congress, accusing him of mismanagement.

In response, ex-CM Jagan Reddy denied the accusations and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling Naidu a “pathological liar” and accusing him of politicising religious matters.

Reddy also defended the temple’s quality control measures, explaining that ghee samples are rigorously tested, with any substandard shipments being rejected. He flagged disclaimers in the lab report, stating that certain conditions, like excessive feeding of vegetable oils to cows, could affect the results.

As the controversy escalated, Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan began an 11-day fast as a form of penance, while the BJP demanded a CBI investigation. A PIL has also been filed in the Supreme Court, seeking an inquiry into the alleged violation of Article 25, which guarantees religious freedom.

The temple’s kitchen produces around three lakh laddoos daily, using approximately 1,500 kg of ghee, alongside cashews, raisins, cardamom, gram flour, and sugar. The supplier of the disputed ghee was from Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district.