(Image source from: Twitter.com/TTDevasthanams)

The Hindu temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, underwent a "purification" ritual on Monday due to concerns over the use of animal fats, such as fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (pig fat), in the ghee used to make the laddus, or devotional offerings, given to the deity and devotees. A team of priests conducted a "maha shani homam" ceremony at the temple, which is widely considered one of the holiest sites in Hinduism. Temple officials stated that the ceremony was intended to "ward off the negative effects of adulteration and restore the sanctity of the laddoos as 'prasadam' (sacred offering), and ensure the well-being of the devotees." After the ritual, one of the head priests, Krishna Seshachala Deekshitulu, announced that "everything is purified" and requested all devotees to come and receive the "prasadam" without any worries. The Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, the government trust that manages the temple, Syamala Rao, said the rituals lasted four hours starting at 6 am, with a special focus on the kitchen that produces the laddus. Rao also mentioned that the temple had changed its system of procuring "pure cow ghee," which had led to an "improved taste of the laddoos and other prasadam" from the temple.

The state government, backed by a recent lab report from Gujarat indicating the presence of animal fat in ghee samples from the temple kitchen, has ordered a special police team to investigate this matter. The Chief Minister has made serious allegations, stating that many unethical practices have occurred at the temple over the past five years, and has declared that non-Hindus will not be allowed on the temple management board. The Chief Minister has also accused the former chairperson of the temple, who is affiliated with the opposition party, of irregularities in temple management. Additionally, the former executive officer of the temple, a civil servant, has been accused as well. In response, the opposition leader has written to the Prime Minister, denouncing the Chief Minister as a "pathological liar" and accusing him of harming the beliefs of millions of people for political objectives.

శాంతి హోమం ముగిసింది

దోషాల నివారణ కోసం, భక్తుల శ్రేయస్సు కోసం నిర్వహించిన యాగం - టీటీడీ ఈవో

భక్తులు సాయంత్రం క్షమా మంత్రం పఠించాలి - అర్చకులు

Purificatory Shanti Homam Concludes

Ritual Held to Ward Off Doshas and for the Benefit of Devotees - TTD EO pic.twitter.com/EwEL9VTXfH

— Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (@TTDevasthanams) September 23, 2024

Reddy stated that a tanker carrying (potentially impure) ghee had arrived at the temple in July but was turned away. He mentioned that the well-established procedures followed by TTD for years could detect the dubious quality (of the ghee). The former Chief Minister strongly criticized the disclaimers in the lab report, which stated that the findings may be invalid if the milk fat came from cows fed an unusually high amount of certain oils. Earlier, the critic had accused the other leader of using religion for political purposes. Meanwhile, the other leader's deputy has started an 11-day fast as an act of atonement, and a political party has demanded a government investigation. The deputy leader questioned why there would be national outrage if a church or mosque were involved, but Hindus are expected not to raise such issues. The national government has also gotten involved, with ministers demanding a detailed report and stating that the alleged disrespect towards the Hindu faith will be taken seriously.

A lawsuit was filed in the Supreme Court requesting a dedicated team to investigate the alleged use of animal fat in the clarified butter, which was claimed to violate Article 25 of the Constitution that guarantees all Indians the right to freedom of religion. The temple kitchen produces approximately three hundred thousand laddoos daily, using around one thousand five hundred kilograms of clarified butter, and substantial quantities of cashew nuts, raisins, cardamoms, gram flour, and sugar. The reports suggest that the clarified butter was purchased from a supplier located in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.