Tirupati Laddu Controversy: What action major temples in Prayagraj are taking to ensure purity of offerings, what devotees can offer to deities?

A nationwide stir had erupted after animal fat was discovered in the laddus given to devotees at the famous Tirupati Balaji temple. This revelation has led to widespread concerns about the purity of prasad (sacred offerings) in Hindu temples. 

In response to this controversy, Shiv Murat Mishra, the chief priest of Prayagraj’s renowned Lalita Devi temple, has made a bold decision. He has banned the offering of sweets, such as laddus and pedas, in several major temples in Prayagraj. Instead, devotees are now encouraged to bring alternative offerings like coconuts, fruits, and dry fruits.

Shops to be opened within temple premises

Shiv Murat Mishra also revealed a plan to open shops within the temple premises to provide devotees with pure, uncontaminated sweets. These shops will ensure that the sweets available for offering in the temple are of the highest quality. 

Similarly, Yamuna Puri Maharaj, the chief patron of Alopi Shankari Devi temple, situated in Alopibagh in Prayagraj, and the secretary of Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani, has echoed these concerns. Alopi Shankari Devi temple, one of the 52 Shaktipeeths, has banned the offering of sweets brought from outside due to the ongoing controversy.

Quality of sweets sold outside the temple to be checked

Mahant Sridharanand Brahmachari Maharaj, the head of Mankameshwar temple, has also taken action following the Tirupati laddu controversy. He announced a ban on bringing outside sweets into the Mankameshwar temple until further notice. A formal letter has been sent to the local collector, requesting an investigation into the sweets sold outside the temple to ensure they meet purity standards. Until the results of the investigation are known, devotees will not be allowed to offer any sweets in the temple.

Prasad to Be Prepared In-House

In response to the growing concerns about impure sweets, several temples in Prayagraj have announced plans to prepare prasad in-house. Temples such as Alopi Shankari Devi, Bade Hanuman, and Mankameshwar have imposed restrictions on the types of sweets that can be offered. 

Mahant Balbir Giri Ji Maharaj, the head of Bade Hanuman temple and Srimath Baghambari Gaddi, has stated that once the temple’s corridor construction is completed, the temple management will take charge of preparing laddus and pedas for offerings. This move aims to ensure that only pure and uncontaminated prasad is distributed to devotees.

The Tirupati Laddu Controversy

The controversy began when animal fat, including beef tallow, pig fat, and fish oil, was found in the laddus offered as prasad at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati. A food testing laboratory in Gujarat confirmed the presence of these impurities, sparking outrage among devotees and religious leaders. Telangana Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has accused the previous YSR Congress government of being responsible for the adulteration. The issue has now reached the Supreme Court, and the central government has sought an explanation from the Telangana government regarding the adulteration of the Tirupati laddus.

This controversy has not only raised questions about the sanctity of temple offerings but has also prompted several temples across India to take immediate action to protect the purity of their prasad.