Tirupati Laddu Controversy: Allegations of Animal Fat Spark Outrage

GG News Bureau
Amaravati, 20th Sept. The Tirupati temple laddu, an offering at the Tirumala Venkateswara temple in Andhra Pradesh, is facing controversy after reports of animal fat found in its ingredients.

The laddu, considered a staple for devotees, has drawn negative attention, leading Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to accuse the previous YSRCP government of desecrating the temple. Naidu assured that a sanitization process has begun.

The Tirupati laddu, or Srivari laddu, has historical significance dating back to the 1920s. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) holds a geographical indication tag for the laddu, preventing others from selling it and granting patent rights. As an offering specific to Lord Venkateswara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the laddu is integral to temple worship.

Available in small, medium, and large sizes, the laddus weigh 40, 175, and 750 grams, respectively. Small laddus are distributed free to all devotees, while medium and large ones are priced at ₹50 and ₹200, respectively.

The controversy erupted when the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) claimed that a Gujarat laboratory report detected “beef tallow,” “lard,” and fish oil in the laddu, offending Hindu sentiments that oppose meat consumption.

This revelation has ignited a political blame game, with the TDP alleging that the previous YSR government initiated these practices.