 "Tirupati laddu row: Calls for reform in offerings from Ayodhya, Mathura")
The controversy over the alleged adulteration of Tirupati Temple laddus has sparked reactions from Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, with calls for reform in the preparation and distribution of 'prasad'.
In Ayodhya, the chief priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Satyendra Das, demanded a "complete ban" on prasad prepared by external agencies.
He expressed concerns over the purity of ghee used in temple offerings, urging that "all prasad should be prepared under the supervision of temple priests".
"The controversy over the alleged use of fat and meat in Tirupati Balaji's prasad is escalating across the country," Das noted, emphasising the need for stringent inspections of the quality of oil and ghee sold nationwide.
He alleged that there was an international conspiracy to desecrate temples by mixing inappropriate substances in offerings.
In Mathura, the Dharma Raksha Sangh announced its decision to revert to the "ancient style" of 'prasadam' recipes, replacing commercially produced sweets with offerings made from fruits, flowers and other natural ingredients.
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Saurabh Gaur, the national president of the Sangh, stressed the need for significant reforms in the prasadam system, saying, "A consensus had been reached among religious leaders and organisations to return to traditional practices of offering and accepting pure, Satvik Prasadam."
In 'Sangam city' Prayagraj, several temples, including Alop Shankari Devi, Bade Hanuman, and Mankameshwar, have banned devotees from bringing sweets and processed items as offerings.
Shiv Murat Mishra, the chief priest of the Lalita Devi Temple, said the management decided to request devotees to bring only coconuts, fruits, and dry fruits.
"Until the purity of the sweets is clear in the investigation, they will not be allowed to be offered in the temple," said Mahant Shridharanand Brahmachari Ji Maharaj of the Mankameshwar Temple.
Yamuna Puri Maharaj, chief patron of the Alop Shankari Devi Temple and secretary of Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani, said devotees will not be allowed to bring sweets and prasad from outside.
Mahant Balbir Giri Ji Maharaj, the patron of the Bade Hanuman temple located on the Sangam coast and head of the Shrimath Baghambari Gaddi, said, "After the construction of the corridor of the temple is completed, the temple management itself will prepare 'laddu-peda' prasad for the Shri Bade Hanuman temple."
On Monday, the famous Mankameshwar temple in Lucknow also banned offerings bought by devotees from outside and said they could offer homemade 'prasad' or fruits.
The temple management said it was also taking steps to ensure the purity of prasad offered on the site, with plans to conduct quality checks and potentially establish its own prasad production facilities.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had last week claimed that substandard ingredients and animal fat were used in the preparation of laddus at the Tirupati Temple during the previous government.
The YSRCP responded by accusing Naidu of making baseless allegations for political gains, leading to the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the claims.