Controversy over Laddu Prasad at Tirupati Balaji Temple: How Prasad is Prepared in Major Temples across India?

The recent uproar over the laddu prasad at Tirupati Balaji Temple has ignited a national debate about whether it is time to separate temples from government control. This controversy has created an atmosphere of concern among devotees across India. In this article, we explore how prasad, especially laddu prasad, is made in some of the country's biggest temples and the steps taken to ensure its purity.

Prasad at Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain

In Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar Temple, the Bhog prasad offered to Lord Shri Mahakaleshwar is made with great care, ensuring both quality and purity. The temple’s management committee follows a strict protocol to maintain purity, especially in the laddu prasad that is given to devotees.

Rather than purchasing pre-made gram flour, the committee buys gram dal, which is ground in the mill located within the temple premises. This freshly prepared flour is used to make the prasad. Additionally, the temple committee only buys ingredients like rava, cashews, and raisins after conducting thorough quality checks. The ghee used in prasad is Sanchi Ghee, sourced from the government dairy, or another brand authorized by the Madhya Pradesh government.

Laddu Prasad at Shirdi Saibaba Temple

 

After the Tirupati temple, the laddu prasad of the Shirdi Saibaba temple is immensely popular among devotees. Annually, around 650 tons of laddu prasad is distributed on a 'no profit, no loss' basis. In addition to this, approximately 350 tons are distributed for free to over 20 million devotees throughout the year. According to Goraksh Gadhilkar, CEO of the Shirdi Saibaba Temple Trust, the trust strictly adheres to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines while making the laddus, using desi ghee and dry fruits to maintain quality.

Prasad-Making at Siddhivinayak Temple

The famous Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai is known for its meticulous approach to prasad-making. According to Veena Patil, an official of the temple trust, quality is never compromised. The laddu prasad made at the temple uses cow ghee, gram flour, cardamom powder, and a mix of cashew and raisins. While the laddus are handmade by the temple staff, the packaging is done by machines to ensure efficiency.

On average, the temple makes 50,000 laddus daily, with the number rising to 70,000 during festivals, underscoring the temple’s commitment to both quality and quantity.

Purity Standards at Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi sees devotees purchasing around 1,000 kilograms of laddu prasad daily. The temple management has entrusted two vendors with the responsibility of laddu supply. Following the controversy surrounding Tirupati's laddu prasad, a team of officials from the Kashi Vishwanath temple conducted an inspection at the vendors' facilities to ensure that the prasad-making process adheres to strict standards of purity and hygiene.

Shambhu Sharan Singh, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, personally oversaw the entire laddu-making process, from start to finish. He noted that the temple’s prasad undergoes quality checks by the food department to ensure consistency and safety.

Navedyam Prasad at Mahavir Temple, Patna

The Mahavir Temple in Patna produces thousands of kilos of Navedyam prasad every day. According to the temple’s factory manager, Sheshadreya, the prasad-making process is carefully planned, with the highest volume occurring on Tuesdays when 80 quintals of laddus are made. On other days, the temple produces 30 quintals of laddus.

The temple ensures that the prasad is prepared with utmost purity, using Nandini ghee as per the instructions of the temple president, Kishore Kunal. Interestingly, the temple does not purchase gram flour from outside suppliers. Instead, it procures gram dal and grinds it in its own mill to make fresh gram flour, ensuring purity from start to finish.