Amid Tirupati laddu row, food samples collected from UP temples
In the wake of the ongoing controversy over the purity of the world-famous Tirupati "laddu prasadam," Uttar Pradesh authorities have taken proactive measures. The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) department collected 43 samples of food items from 15 shops near religious sites in Mathura and Vrindavan. FSDA Assistant Commissioner Dhirendra Pratap Singh confirmed that one "peda" sample has been sent for testing in a Lucknow facility.
Food sampling campaign in Mathura and Vrindavan
The food samples were collected from various vendors during a campaign conducted in Mathura and Vrindavan. The items included sweets and other products made from milk, paneer, peda, barfi, milk cake, rasgulla, imarti, sonpapdi and spices. Of the 43 samples collected from 15 vendors around the temples on Sunday and Monday, 42 were found to be within standard guidelines, reports said.
Mankameshwar Temple bans market-bought offerings
In a related development, Lucknow's Mankameshwar Temple has banned offerings brought from the market. The temple administration now requests devotees to bring homemade items for offerings. Mahant Divya Giri stated, "We have taken an initiative in view of the Tirupati Prasadam row. There is always some adulteration in the food products." These measures come amidst allegations of adulterated ghee being used in the preparation of laddus at Sri Venkateswara Temple.
Allegations and investigation into laddu adulteration
The Tirupati Laddu, also known as the 'Srivari Laddu,' has been a primary offering at Sri Venkateswara Temple for over 300 years. Recently, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat was used instead of pure ghee in its preparation. In response to these allegations, an Inspector General level or above officer-manned Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe all aspects of this issue.
Purification ritual performed at Sri Venkateswara Temple
Following the allegations, a purification ritual called the 'Shanti Homam' was performed in the kitchens where the laddus are prepared. Head priest Krishna Seshachala Deekshitulu stated, "The state government came up with a proposal that what to do to purify the places of the temple. So, we went to the management with the proposal to perform a Shanti Homam."
