New Delhi . The issue of animal fat in Tirupati’s Prasadam is heating up, just like it happened in Shirdi 12 years ago. At that time, many devotees had alleged that the laddu given as prasad in the temple is adulterated. Devotees complained that the quality of this laddu is very bad. Some devotees even alleged that it smells bad. At that time, like Tirupati Balaji, questions were also raised on the quality of desi ghee used to make prasad in Shirdi. Devotees from every corner of the country come to pay obeisance at Sai Baba’s court and accept the laddu given by the temple as prasad. They also take it home and distribute it among their family members and acquaintances. But this news of adulteration in prasad had hurt people’s faith.
At that time, about 50 quintals of prasad was prepared every day in Shirdi Sai Baba temple. Prasad items were procured through tender. Some devotees drew attention to the poor quality of laddus and also complained about the quality of semolina halwa prepared for Satyanarayan Prasad. After the complaints, the top administrative officials of the district as well as the members of the temple trust committee also found that the laddus tasted bad. They then hinted at action against the ghee manufacturer and supplier. This was not the first time that complaints were made about the poor quality of prasad. Earlier in 2009, a case of foul smell in laddus had come to light. About one and a half lakh laddus prepared that day were destroyed so that no one falls ill after eating them. At that time, the devotees who ate these laddus started vomiting. Questions were raised about the ghee used in it.
Tirupati Balaji’s laddus are in the news these days. In an investigation, it has been found that animal fat was mixed in these laddus. Since this revelation, not only has the politics of Andhra Pradesh heated up, but the faith of crores of devotees around the world has also been hurt. Meanwhile, let us tell you that the prasad found in Shirdi Sai Baba temple has also been accused of adulteration once. According to the report, a devotee had said about the prasad, we have come here many times, but the laddu received this time as prasad tastes somewhat bitter. Another devotee said that this is a matter of faith, so no one is hesitant to say anything. But the astringency in the taste was being felt for a long time. After the complaint, the Food and Adulteration Department raided the kitchen of Sai Baba temple. The FDA team collected samples of ghee used to prepare prasad in the temple, which were sent for testing. It is not known what the investigation revealed. But then about four and a half lakh laddus were destroyed.