Tirupati Laddoos Row: Ram Temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das has confirmed that laddoos from Tirupati were distributed as prasadam during the pran prathistha ceremony in January. Ayodhyas Ram Temple chief priest, Acharya Satyendra Das, has stated that laddoos from the renowned Tirupati temple were offered as prasadam to devotees during the pran prathistha (consecration) ceremony held on January 22 earlier this year. His statement comes amidst an ongoing controversy regarding claims of animal fat being found in laddoos at the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh, sparking calls for an official investigation.Acharya Satyendra Das speaks on Laddoo rowI do not know how many laddoos were brought. The trust would know that. But, whatever laddoos came, the prasad was distributed among the devotees. The reports on contamination point to a dangerous conspiracy, Acharya Satyendra Das told India Today. His comments have drawn significant attention due to the sensitivity surrounding the alleged contamination of the prasadam.More than one lakh laddoos were reportedly sent by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which oversees the Sri Venkateswara temple, for the grand consecration ceremony. This event, attended by 8,000 dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was a momentous occasion.#WATCH | On Tirupati Prasadam row, Chief Priest of Ram Janmabhoomi, Acharya Satyendra Das says, It is clear from the checking that was done that fish oil was mixed...It is still not known when all this has been happening. This is a conspiracy and an attack on Sanatan Dharma. The… pic.twitter.com/9Os2TyPrEe— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2024Ram Temple Trust clarifies prasadam distributionThe Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust responsible for managing the Ram Temple, has refuted the distribution of Tirupati laddoos during the event, stating that only cardamom seeds were given as prasadam to devotees. Champat Rai, general secretary of the trust, explained, We only distributed cardamom seeds to the devotees. I went to Tirupati once in my life in 1981, and it is not proper for me to comment on the controversy.Rai added that they are awaiting the central governments investigation report regarding the claims surrounding the Tirupati laddoos.Concerns spread to other templesThe controversy over the Tirupati laddoos has prompted temples across India to reassess the quality of prasadam offered to devotees. At Ayodhyas famous Hanuman Garhi temple, authorities confirmed that only laddoos made with pure desi ghee are offered.Sanjay Das, president of the Sankat Mochan Sena, said, We use ghee from branded companies only. All the shopkeepers, who are our tenants, use the same in making the laddoos. The purity of ghee is regularly checked, and if any deficiency is found, the responsible shop is completely shut down.Political controversy around the laddoosThe controversy intensified when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat, including fish oil and beef tallow, was found in the laddoos served at the Tirupati temple during the previous YSRCP government. Naidu cited a lab report from Gujarat, which reportedly detected beef tallow, lard (pig fat), and fish oil in the ghee used for the laddoos.This row has led to heightened scrutiny of religious offerings, and many now await the findings of the official investigation into the matter.
