Tirupati temple gears up to serve 8-9 lakh laddus each day — with a new ghee vendor

“There will be no more compromise on the quality of the laddus and the quality of ghee used (to make it),” TTD Executive Officer J. Syamala Rao told the media Saturday.

However, the TTD Saturday temporarily halted the use of cow ghee and milk-based products in preparation of other offerings, or “prasadams”, to the deity.

Stocks of KMF’s famous Nandini brand ghee are being rushed to the temple’s kitchens –known as `potu’. This comes even as over 73,000 pilgrims visited the temple Friday.

The TTD is also stocking up on ghee ahead of the temple’s nine-day Brahmotsavam – a grand annual event that will be held from October 4 -12 this year and is expected to see lakhs of pilgrims.

“A new vendor, KMF, is in place to supply top quality ghee. We don’t see any issues,” Andhra Pradesh’s minister Nara Lokesh Naidu told The Indian Express, when asked if there would be any crisis of procurement of ghee during the religious event.

Muni Ratnam, who’s in-charge of ‘Potu’ kitchen, said that during the religious event, the temple maintains a stock of 8-9 lakh laddus each day.

The TTD expects 7-8 lakhs devotees during the Brahmotsavam festival.

“Sufficient stocks, including ghee to prepare the laddus round the clock, are being procured,” he said.

The TTD Saturday temporarily halted the use of cow ghee-based products used for making other offerings known as “Srivari Prasadams”. A TTD panel also found deficiencies in the quality of raw materials used in preparation of the free meals, or “anna prasadam”, following complaints, sources said.

As a result, all supplies have been temporarily suspended and new vendors are being arranged to supply fresh stocks, it has been learnt. The committee members will also take daily feedback from devotees, sources said.

Meanwhile, anticipating a heavy pilgrim influx during the ensuing annual Brahmotsavams — especially on the day of Garuda Seva on October 8 — the TTD has issued traffic advisories for pilgrims. Two-wheelers will not be allowed on the ghat roads to and from the temple from October 7-9.

The TTD has advised people to leave private vehicles at Tirupati and take the buses provided by APSRTC buses to avoid traffic problems.

Parking slots for two-wheelers have been earmarked at Alipiri Link Bus Stand, Municipal Grounds, and Vinayaka Nagar quarters. While all the four-wheelers, including private jeeps and cars, are to be parked at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan School, private buses will be parked at Devalok, next to the SV Zoo.