Ritual purification at Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati temple amid laddoo row

The rituals are being conducted to seek divine atonement from Lord Venkateswara Swamy for alleged sacrilegious acts, including the claim that animal fats were mixed in the preparation of Tirupati laddoos, the sacred offering.

In Short

• Shanti Homam ceremony held at Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh
• Ritual aims to purify alleged desecrations during previous YSR Congress regime
• This comes amid row over animal fat allegedly found in Tirupati laddoos

Amid the row over the alleged presence of animal fat in Tirupati laddoos, a cleansing ritual was performed at the Tirumala temple to undo the alleged desecrations that occurred during the previous YSR Congress regime, temple officials said on Monday.

Three homa gundas were established and the Shanti Homam Panchagavya Prokshana, a cleansing ritual ceremony, was conducted in strict accordance with the Shastras. Eight temple priests, guided by three Agama Shastra advisors, led the cleansing ritual, which began at 5:40 am and concluded within two hours.

The Vastu Homam was also performed, accompanied by a thorough cleansing process that included the purification of vessels, machines and the ceremonial space. Additionally, the priests carried out the Panchagavya Prokshana, a sacred sprinkling with a mixture of five products from the cow, to sanctify the environment.

The rituals are being conducted to seek divine atonement from Lord Venkateswara Swamy for alleged sacrilegious acts, including the claim that animal fats were mixed in the preparation of Tirupati laddoos, the sacred offering.

On Sunday, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao emphasised that these rituals are intended to remove any negative influences and restore the sanctity of the Tirupati laddoos, ensuring the spiritual well-being of the devotees of Srivari.

WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY?

The controversy came under the spotlight after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had claimed last week that substandard ingredients, including animal fat, were discovered in the laddoos served as prasad at Tirupati temple during the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy's government.

Referring to a private lab report from Gujarat, Naidu alleged the presence of "beef tallow," "lard" (relating to pig fat) and fish oil in the ghee.

However, former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy denied the claims, stating that no violation occurred under his regime. Reddy also blamed Naidu for doing "politics in the name of God," and called the Chief Minister "a pathological and habitual liar."