A speech by Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, where he said that there was animal fat being used in making the laddus served as Prasadam at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, in Andhra Pradesh, that was anger and sadness among devotees and believers. The Tirupati temple is considered one of the most sacred places for Hindus and the prashad served there, in the form of laddus has attained an iconic status as a cultural symbol, over the years.
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While this was the beginning of a political war of words between the ruling party and the opposition, public media debates and social media angst, the controversy seems to be taking a new twist every day.
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The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad Angle
As per reports the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the governing body for Hindu saints and ascetics in India has said that other varieties of prashads should be served to devotees at least until the temples can guarantee the quality and safety of the prashad they are preparing.
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Mahant Ravindra Puri, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad said that “Items like rock sugar, cardamom and dry fruits are traditionally served as Prashad in Hindu temples and should be said mishri, cardamom seeds, and dry fruits to be offered to devotees as prasad at temples instead of prepared dishes as laddoo to prevent adulteration.” He also suggested that those devotees who were feeling guilty of having earlier eaten the “adulterated laddu” should drink Ganga Jal (holy water) or Gow Mutra (the urine of cows).
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The Story So Far
While there has been no specific evidence so far to validate the claim of the presence of animal fats in the ingredients used to make the laddus, the lab report which was prepared by the National Dairy Development Board (CALF) in Anand confirmed that there was definitely some adulteration in the ghee being used as there was evidence of foreign fats being present.
This was determined by the fact that when the laddus went for lab testing, the S-values (a chemical measure) seems to be different from what is the norm which is usually indicative of foreign fats being present. The claim was also backed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an autonomous body, established in 1933, that manages the administration of the temple and also manages the preparation and distribution of the Tirupati Laddu.
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This foreign fact could be fish oil and beef tallow or even soybean, sunflower, palm kernel fat. This claim was backed by the TTD and that is what caused the issue to gain the attention of the media and the public.
The Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu ordered an SIT (Special Investigation Team) to investigate the matter thoroughly and submit a report to the government, after which appropriate action will be taken. It was said that the board is going to blacklist a contractor dealing with supplies of adulterated ghee. It was also said that Karnataka's home-grown brand Nandini Ghee will be the exclusive ghee supplier of the temple for the preparation of sacred prasadam.