तिरुपति बालाजी मंदिर के प्रसाद को लेकर एफएसएसएआई लैब रिपोर्ट की जांच

Investigation of FSSAI lab report regarding the Prasad of Tirupati Balaji Temple

The Tirupati Balaji temple of Andhra Pradesh is in the headlines these days. In fact, the current government of Andhra Pradesh has alleged adulteration in the laddu prasad of the temple during the previous Jagan Mohan government. However, the YSR Party has denied all the allegations. Along with this, the opposition party has approached the High Court against Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The High Court said that it will hear the matter on Wednesday. On the other hand, the central government has sought a report from the Andhra Pradesh government and said that the FSSAI will investigate the lab report.

Sri Venkateshwara Swamy Temple located in the hills of Tirumala in Tirupati, Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh is famous all over the world. This temple is dedicated to Venkateshwara, a form of Lord Vishnu. This temple is also known by other popular names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple and Tirupati Balaji Temple. Tirupati temple is managed by a trust called Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) under the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is known not only for its spiritual significance but also for its iconic prasad, Tirupati Laddus. This delicious laddu has become a symbol of the temple, which has a history of over 300 years behind it. Tirupati Laddus also have historical significance. The tradition of offering laddus dates back to the time of the Pallavas and was later formalised under the Vijayanagara Empire. Over such a long period, the laddus have undergone several changes. The current form of the laddu first came into being in 1940 when the round-shaped prasad was introduced. Over the years, this sacred sweet has remained synonymous with a visit to Tirumala, and no devotee returns home without having it.

The preparation of laddus at the Tirumala temple involves a large-scale production process. About one tonne of gram flour, 10 tonnes of sugar, 700 kg of cashew nuts, 500 kg of mishri and 300-500 litres of ghee are used daily. Despite such a large quantity, the laddu retains its unique taste and aroma. With time, modern techniques came in to make the laddu. LPG replaced wood in the kitchen since 1984 and today, around 2.5 lakh laddus are made every day. However, maintaining the original taste of the laddu in such a large quantity remains a challenge. To maintain quality, the TTD has changed the proportions (dittams) of ingredients several times. The laddu received Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2009. Three types of laddus are offered at Tirumala. The first is the Asthanam laddu which is prepared during special festivals and distributed to dignitaries. The second is Kalyanotsavam Laddus, which are given to the devotees participating in the Arjit Seva. The third is Proktam Laddus, which are given to all the devotees after darshan.

When the quality of the laddus was criticized recently, the Naidu government that came to power in Andhra Pradesh in June 2024 made Shyamala Rao the acting president of TTD. After taking charge, Shyamala Rao constituted a four-member committee in July to investigate the quality of the laddus. A week later, the committee, which investigated all aspects, submitted its report. The world-famous Tirumala laddu prasad came into the limelight when the lab report revealed that the ghee used to make Tirumala laddus contained things like animal fat and fish oil. The TTD executive officer said that apart from investigating and reporting, some suggestions were also given on the precautions to be taken to procure quality ghee through tenders to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future.

Recently, this matter suddenly came into the headlines across the country after the remarks of the current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu. On Wednesday (September 18), on the completion of 100 days of the NDA government, Chief Minister Chandrababu Babu said that animal fat was mixed in ghee to violate the sanctity of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. The Chief Minister made this remark in the legislature party meeting in Vijayawada. The matter did not stop here and the next day i.e. on September 19, the ruling Telugu Desam Party released the lab report. TDP spokesperson Anam Venkataraman Reddy made copies of a document public. Regarding the report, Reddy claims that it is a report of tests conducted on Prasadam by the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat. This document states that the ghee showed the presence of lard (pig fat), tallow (cow fat) and fish oil. The report also found fats from vegetable sources such as coconut, flaxseed, rapeseed and cotton seeds. Meanwhile, the response of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) on the controversy has also come to the fore. KMF clarified that they have not supplied ghee to TTD in the last four years. They have started their supply to Tirumala in the last four months.

First the Chief Minister's comment and then the reference to the lab report, the issue also became the center of politics. Andhra Pradesh BJP demanded an inquiry into the entire incident and accused the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government of being 'blatantly anti-Hindu' and mismanaging TTD funds. At the same time, Congress state vice-president Dodareddy Rambhupal Reddy also demanded a CBI inquiry. The Congress leader said that if CM Naidu stands by his allegations, then a formal investigation is needed. Amid the ongoing controversy, YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP and TTD former