Following recent test reports confirming the use of beef fat and fish oil in the preparation of laddus at the Tirupati Temple, pilgrims and devotees have expressed their outrage and concern. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu previously alleged that animal fat was used in the laddus sold at the temple during the YSR Congress regime.

Radharamn Das, Vice President and Spokesperson for ISKCON, expressed dismay over the alleged desecration of sacred offerings. “I ate the sacred #TirupatiLaddu, millions of Hindus have, just like you. But today, our faith they defiled, feeding our Bhagavan what’s unholy and vile, Beef fat in the Laddu—a sin so deep, A betrayal that makes our hearts weep” he stated. 

Calling for a massive protest to uphold Hindu values, he wrote," For the love of Dharma, for our sacred right, A massive protest must rise, a righteous fight. Hindus, awaken! Let your voices soar, This insult we can’t take anymore. The time has come, no more delay. #FreeHinduTemples without further sway!"

Devotees react

Devotees visiting the Tirupati temple also shared similar reactions. One long-time visitor remarked, “I have been coming here for the last 10 years. Earlier, the quality of the laddus was good, but it deteriorated in the last 3-4 years. Today, the taste of the laddu is very good, and the ghee quality is also good.” 

Another devotee expressed disappointment, stating, “The previous government made these laddus very sweet and they were small. I heard that the laddus were made with adulterated ghee and animal oil. It’s very sad to know; those responsible should be punished.”

Temple reaction

An ex-priest from the Tirupati temple said raised concerns about the quality of the ghee used, citing impurities in the cow ghee. “I raised the issue with the chairman as cow ghee was of poor quality and had lots of impurities,” he noted.

Chief Priest of Ram Janmabhoomi, Acharya Satyendra Das says, "It is clear from the inspection that fish oil was mixed...It is still not known when all this has been happening. This is a conspiracy and an attack on Sanatana Dharma. The government should take it very seriously and conduct an investigation. The culprit should be punished..."

Social media reacts

On social media platform X, a user tweeted, “Absolutely shocking reports on #TirupatiLaddu. My family is devoted to #Tirupati Venkateshwara Swamy. We often take someone who hasn’t seen #Tirumala for darshan. One thing we love is #TirumalaLaddu prasada. Really upset.”

Another user added, “The Tirupati Laddu controversy must be thoroughly probed, and those responsible must be punished. But let’s not forget that the self-proclaimed contractors of Hinduism were constantly pandering to the previous ruling party in Andhra Pradesh to garner support in Parliament, making them equally complicit.”

Food Minister Pralhad Joshi has also sough a detailed probe into allegations of the presence of animal fat in Tirupati Laddu.