Tirupati Laddoo Ghee Controversy: Was Nandini Brand Changed?

The controversy surrounding the presence of animal fat in Tirupati laddoos has stirred a significant debate. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, citing a lab report, claimed that fish oil and beef tallow were found in the ghee procured during the YSR Congress Party regime. This issue has also highlighted the halt in the supply of Nandini ghee last year, which many believe is at the root of the problem.

The Srivari laddoos at the Sri Venkateswara temple, which are distributed as prasadam to thousands of devotees every day, rely heavily on the quality of ghee. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board, responsible for managing the temple, purchases around 5 lakh kg of ghee annually through a tender process conducted every six months.

Why Was Nandini Ghee Stopped?

Last year, the government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy halted the procurement of Nandini ghee from the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) after nearly 15 years, due to pricing issues. The KMF had refrained from participating in the bidding process because of an increase in milk prices, making it difficult to provide ghee at a competitive rate. Instead, the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder.

KMF president K. Bheema Naik suggested that “discriminatory practices” were responsible for Nandini ghee’s exclusion from the Tirumala laddoo recipe. He claimed, “The laddoos will not be the same anymore. Nandini provides the best ghee in the market, and if another brand is supplying ghee at a lower price, the quality is likely compromised.”

These comments sparked a political blame game, with the BJP accusing Karnataka’s Congress-led government, under Siddaramaiah, of meddling in Tirupati temple’s affairs. Allegations of “compromised laddoo quality” and pressure on the temple board by the YSRCP to source ghee from other brands also surfaced.

However, in August, the KMF resumed the supply of its famous Nandini ghee to the TTD after Naidu directed efforts to improve the quality of laddoos. This move came after Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) came to power in Andhra Pradesh in the July Assembly elections, winning 167 seats in alliance with the BJP and Janasena.

Around 3.5 lakh laddoos are made daily at Tirupati, and the cost to produce a single laddoo is about Rs 40. To prepare these laddoos, approximately 400-500 kg of ghee, 750 kg of cashew nuts, 500 kg of raisins, and 200 kg of cardamom are used each day.

Following the controversy, the TTD has formed a committee to draft new terms and conditions to ensure the procurement of high-quality ghee for the laddoos.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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