Tirumala laddus row: Yadadri temple sends ghee for testing to Hyderabad laboratory

HYDERABAD: Amid the Tirupati laddu row, authorities at Yadadri temple, touted as Telangana's Tirumala Devasthanam after its renovation in 2022, have sent samples of the ghee used for its laddu prasadam to a Hyderabad laboratory for testing.
The over a century-old temple uses 600 kg to 700 kg of ghee every day to make around 25,000 to 30,000 laddus for devotees.The daily footfall at the temple is close to 25,000 on weekdays, over 40,000 on weekends, and 50,000 on festivals.

"We want to ensure that there are no concerns among devotees regarding the quality of ghee used in the temple's prasadam. The results of the test are expected by Sept 30," said Yadadri temple executive officer A Bhaskara Rao.
Officials said for the last 40 years, the ghee made from buffalo milk has been sourced from Mother Dairy. Although the dairy firm provides its own tests report to the temple, the authorities have decided to conduct independent tests to ensure that the ghee is not adulterated with any unwanted fats.
‘No compromise on quality of prasadam’
Bhaskara Rao said the temple is well-equipped to produce up to one lakh prasadam laddus daily.
Incidentally, in 2021 when the temple was under renovation, a Hyderabad resident had found a plastic cover in the prasadam and shared the photos on social media, drawing sharp reactions from the public.
“That was an isolated incident. No such events have taken place in Yadadri since then as we follow necessary hygiene and cleanliness measures. Our prasadam is prepared fresh every day and not stored for use later. We also maintain the highest standards of quality in its preparation,” said a senior official from the temple.