Tirupati Laddu: The Sacred Sweet Binding Devotees and Politicians

Nearly one crore Tirupati laddus are sold each month, making it a highly sought-after sweet among devotees and politicians alike. This sacred sweet from Sri Venkateswara Swamy’s temple in Andhra Pradesh is often gifted and shared on various occasions. The laddu has a history of 500 years and is famed for its unique ingredients. However, there have been concerns over its quality and controversy over alleged use of animal fat during the YSRCP regime.

Nearly one crore pieces get sold a month, fondly gifted and shared by devotees and politicians alike. Tirupati laddu, the consecrated sweet from the abode of Sri Venkateswara Swamy's temple in Andhra Pradesh, is highly sought after in all circles.

Accompanied by the deity's idol, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) branded shawl, and a calendar, the laddu is often shared by Andhra Pradesh chief ministers whenever they meet the prime minister or other Central government authorities, cutting across party lines. The sacred sweet sees such high demand that during the last 10-day Vaikuntadwara Darshan, 36 lakh laddus were sold last year, regularly requested by friends and relatives of pilgrims visiting Tirumala.

Between 2019 and 2024, former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy gifted the laddus, idols, and other temple articles to Prime Minister Narendra Modi every time he visited Delhi. For the Pran Prathistha of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in January, TTD sent over one lakh laddus in a cargo plane.

The Tirupati laddu was bestowed with a Geographical Indication (GI) more than decade ago. M Srinivas from Kamareddy in Telangana, a regular visitor to Tirumala, noted that his friends and relatives only ask for the laddu when he visits. Former chief secretary LV Subrahmanyam stated that the laddu has a history of 500 years, made exclusively by Sri Vaishnavites in 'potu' (laddu making kitchen).

Despite its fame, concerns have been raised about the laddu's quality and size over the years. Subrahmanyam noted the difficulty in procuring the massive quantity of dairy products needed, especially ghee. He explained that the costliness of cow ghee often leads the government to choose the lowest bidders, possibly causing the current quality issues. Recently, the Tirupati laddu became the center of controversy as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat was used in its making during the YSRCP regime.

(With inputs from agencies.)