The ongoing controversy surrounding the use of animal fat in Tirupati laddoos centers on the quality of ghee used to make the prasadam. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu recently highlighted a lab report indicating that fish oil and beef tallow were found in the ghee supplied during the YSR Congress Party’s tenure. This has drawn attention to the halt in the supply of the famous Nandini ghee last year, which is crucial for the taste of the Srivari laddoos at the Sri Venkateswara temple, a popular destination for thousands of devotees daily.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which oversees the temple, invites tenders for ghee every six months, purchasing about 5 lakh kg annually. Last year, the government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy stopped sourcing Nandini ghee from the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) after nearly 15 years due to pricing disputes. KMF had opted out of the bidding process because a rise in milk prices made it challenging to offer competitive rates. The Karnataka Cabinet approved a Rs 3 per litre increase in Nandini milk prices, leading TTD to award the contract to the lowest bidder.

This decision sparked significant backlash when KMF president K. Bheema Naik suggested that “discriminatory practices” had excluded Nandini ghee from the renowned laddoos. “The laddoos will not be the same anymore. Nandini provides the best ghee in the market and meets all quality checks. If a lower-priced brand is supplying ghee, I assume the quality will be compromised,” Naik asserted.

This led to a political blame game, with the BJP accusing the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka of interfering in the affairs of the Tirupati temple. Allegations of “compromised laddoo quality” and pressure from the YSRCP government on the temple board to switch ghee suppliers also surfaced.

However, following Naidu’s call for improved laddoo quality, KMF has resumed supplying its renowned Nandini ghee to TTD as of August. This development came after Naidu’s TDP won a significant victory in the July Assembly elections, securing 167 seats in coalition with the BJP and Janasena.

Daily, around 3.5 lakh laddoos are produced at Tirupati, with each costing nearly Rs 40 to make. The preparation requires approximately 400-500 kg of ghee, 750 kg of cashew nuts, 500 kg of raisins, and 200 kg of cardamom each day.

In response to the recent controversy, TTD has established a committee to set terms and conditions for procuring quality ghee for the laddoos.