Hyderabad: CS Rangarajan, the head priest of the Chilkur Balaji Temple, has spoken out about the ongoing controversy regarding the Tirupati Laddu. On Friday, he expressed his disappointment and called the incident “atrocious and highly sinful” if the reports are true.
He urged the Andhra Pradesh government to thoroughly investigate the matter and find those responsible. Rangarajan also voiced his support for the creation of a Dharmika Parishad, a proposed council suggested by Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan. The council would help ensure that temples are managed by an autonomous body.
Rangarajan emphasized the importance of maintaining the quality of the ghee used in making the laddu prasadam. He highlighted that millions of pilgrims from around the world visit the Tirumala temple to offer their devotion to Sri Venkateswara Swamy. Ensuring the purity of the laddu prasadam is essential to preserving the sanctity and divinity of the temple.
He also praised the previous government led by Chandrababu Naidu for its stance on ensuring the quality and taste of the laddu prasadam. According to media reports, there were five suppliers of ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), with the rates ranging from Rs 320 to Rs 411 per kg. Rangarajan noted that the lack of an in-house lab allowed suppliers to exploit the situation, leading to a decline in quality.
To address this issue, he suggested a thorough investigation to identify the culprits. He also recommended that TTD halt the use of cow-based products for laddu-making until the matter is resolved. Additionally, he proposed forming a committee of experts, including senior temple kitchen workers, to maintain the high standards of Srivari Prasadams.
