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A major controversy has erupted surrounding the renowned <keyword id="23237741" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tirupati-laddu" source="keywords">Tirupati laddu</keyword>, a sacred offering from the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh, after allegations surfaced about the use of animal fat in its preparation. The ruling Telugu Desam Party (<keyword id="19910623" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TDP" source="keywords">TDP</keyword>) has accused the previous <keyword id="19973324" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="YSR-Congress-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="YSR Congress Party" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="YSR Congress Party">YSR Congress Party</keyword> (YSRCP)-led government of adulterating the prasadam, a claim that has sent shockwaves through the Hindu community. <h2>The allegations</h2>The controversy began when TDP leader Nara Lokesh, son of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. <keyword id="19926151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrababu-Naidu" source="keywords">Chandrababu Naidu</keyword>, raised accusations against the former YSRCP government, led by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Lokesh alleged that during YSRCP's tenure (2019–2024), the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) used adulterated ingredients, including animal fat, in the preparation of the sacred Tirupati laddu. He stated, "The previous government maintained Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) solely for their own and their partners' welfare. We exposed substandard Tirumala laddu production using animal fat, supported by lab reports." Lokesh further emphasised that the TDP government has since taken corrective steps by appointing a new Executive Officer (EO) to manage TTD, ensuring that quality standards are upheld. "CM Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to maintain the quality of prasadam. The NDA government will bring new reforms to TTD and restore its past glory," he added. <h2>Lab report confirms presence of animal fat</h2>TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy shared findings from a Gujarat-based lab, NDDB CALF Ltd, which allegedly confirmed the use of <keyword id="23237743" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="beef-tallow" source="keywords">beef tallow</keyword>, lard (pig fat), and fish oil in the ghee samples provided by TTD during the YSRCP regime. The samples, collected in July 2024, were reportedly found to contain these animal-derived fats instead of pure cow ghee, sparking outrage among devotees. "The lab reports certify that beef tallow, animal fat, lard, and fish oil were used in the preparation of ghee, which was supplied to Tirumala. This is an affront to the Hindu religion," Reddy stated. <h2>Political reactions and condemnations</h2>The allegations have stirred strong reactions across political lines. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu described the alleged adulteration as a grave insult to the religious sentiments of millions of Hindus. "Even Tirumala laddu was made with substandard ingredients... they used animal fat instead of ghee," he said while addressing the NDA legislature party meeting. Naidu’s son, Nara Lokesh, also took to social media to express his shock and condemnation, tweeting, "The Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the YSJagan administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam." On the other hand, Bhanuprakash Reddy, a former TTD Board Member and BJP leader, strongly condemned the use of animal fat in the revered prasadam and said that they would file a formal complaint against Jagan Mohan Reddy and other officials involved. "During Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure, TTD used pure cow ghee to prepare laddu. Unfortunately, that was adulterated with vegetable oil and animal fat. This is a very bad thing that happened in the history of Tirumala. We are very sad, and we condemn the issue," Bhanuprakash told ANI. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has also demanded swift action against those responsible, with its national spokesperson, Vinod Bansal, calling the allegations a "serious issue" and asserting, "Punish those who used animal fat in Tirupati laddu prasadam." <h2>YSR Congress Party denies allegations</h2>Despite the lab reports and mounting political pressure, the YSRCP has vehemently denied the allegations. Senior party leader and former TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy termed the claims "malicious" and accused the TDP of fabricating the issue for political gains. "TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu will stoop to any level for political gains. These allegations are nothing but an attempt to tarnish the previous government's image," Reddy said. While the TDP continues to push for accountability, the YSRCP remains firm in its stance, dismissing the claims as baseless. Amid the escalating controversy, K. Laxman, President of BJP OBC Morcha, has called for legal action, stating that the Hindu community’s sentiments have been deeply hurt. "The entire Hindu community all over the world condemns the action of the then government. We demand the present Chandrababu-led NDA government take firm legal action against the officials and persons concerned," Laxman asserted. As the scandal unfolds, devotees and political leaders alike await further clarity on the veracity of the lab reports and the actions that will be taken against those involved. For now, the TDP government has reassured devotees that pure cow ghee is once again being used in the preparation of the Tirupati laddu, a move aimed at restoring trust in the <keyword id="23244487" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sacred-prasadam" source="keywords">sacred prasadam</keyword>. (With inputs from agencies)

Tirupati laddu controversy: Gujarat lab confirms presence of various animal fats in the sacred prasadam — here’s all we know

<ul><li>A survey by travel agency Agoda found wellness to be one of the top three motivations for Indians to travel in 2023. </li><li><keyword id="2808667" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="oyo" source="Orion">OYO</keyword> and EaseMyTrip shared that Gen Zs and millennials are pursuing spiritual pursuits, including trips to religious destinations. </li><li><keyword id="6357203" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="varanasi" source="Orion">Varanasi</keyword>, <keyword id="48458" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tirupati" source="Orion">Tirupati</keyword> and <keyword id="4903" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Puri" source="Orion">Puri</keyword> were some of the favoured destinations as per data shared by four different travel organisations.</li></ul>The pandemic turned the world digital but also led to multifold physical and mental health issues. Consequently, digital detox and regeneration have become <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/travel-trends-in-2023-digital-detox-regenerative-travel-and-inner-peace/articleshow/96281360.cms">increasingly</a> popular. In India, this has translated into an increased interest in spiritual and wellness tourism, including trips to religious destinations, according to travel agencies. And this interest has expanded to include GenZs and millennials. Travel agency Agoda conducted a survey and found wellness to be one of the top three motivations for Indians to travel in 2023. The survey was conducted with 10,000 travellers from across 12 countries, including India. As per Agoda, “Many (people) wish to embark on trips to recharge themselves, mentally and physically, with wellness contributing to the number two spot in the ‘reasons to travel’ ranking of Agoda’s Travel Trend survey. Countries with high inclination include India (20%), South Korea (24%), Singapore (25%) and Thailand (29%).” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Spiritual tourism no longer restricted to senior citizens" comment="subhead2" text="Spiritual tourism no longer restricted to senior citizens">Spiritual tourism no longer restricted to senior citizens</cmsannotation> For the longest time, religious destinations were considered to be low on the travel bucket list — especially for GenZs and millennials, but that appears to have changed. “With the need for spiritual connect taking priority, millennials and GenZs are setting new trends for the industry. With every passing day, spiritual and self-care travel are catching pace, and the demand is growing,” said OYO in its Cultural Travel 2022 Roundup Report. As per the travel agency EaseMyTrip, there has been a 60% increase from 2019 in people in general are opting for holy destinations or spiritual or wellness tour packages. And, women aged between 30-35 are leading the search. “We’ve observed a sharp surge of 60% in the number of tourists opting for spiritual and wellness retreat packages as compared with pre-Covid. These are closely linked with religious pilgrimages and the various festivals prevalent across the subcontinent,” said Rikant Pittie, co-founder, EaseMyTrip. “More than ever, travellers are looking within, and often they are seen clubbing this journey within - with a trip to wellness or a spiritual retreat. Tending towards slow and spiritual travel formats, travellers opt for wellness or therapeutic retreats that allow them to disconnect and rejuvenate from their busy schedules,” said a spokesperson for MakeMyTrip. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Top favourite destinations" comment="subhead2" text="Top favourite destinations">Top favourite destinations</cmsannotation> In light of the rising interest in spiritual destinations, certain places are definitely enjoying more interest than others. Varanasi, Tirupati and Puri were among the top destinations as per data shared by four travel organisations — Ixigo, EaseMyTrip, OYO and Kayak. “Cultural destinations like Varanasi saw more than 50% rise in bookings for travel last year on our train apps. Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh witnessed one of the highest comebacks and was the most-searched spiritual hub in 2022 recording a 200% increase in train search queries,” shared Rajnish Kumar, co-founder, Ixigo. The increased interest in these destinations is also boosted by pent-up demand for travel and the availability of better facilities like hotels and good connectivity to reach the destination, said OYO in a report that was released in December 2022. Rishikesh, famous among Indians and foreigners alike, is known for its ashrams and adventure sports like river rafting. At the same, it’s home to India’s premium hotels, like Ananda wellness resort and Taj Rishikesh. Similarly, popular religious destinations like Tirupati and Puri offer luxury accommodations — Marasa Sarovar in Tirupati or the Mayfair Heritage in Puri. Ixigo and OYO also listed Mathura, Mahabaleshwar and Madurai as emerging spiritual tourism destinations in India. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/india-is-going-to-be-a-huge-paid-market-spotify-india/articleshow/98442816.cms">India is going to be a huge paid market: Akshat Harbola, head of strategy, Spotify India</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/wedding-bells-ring-in-16-rise-in-february-auto-sales-2-wheeler-sales-yet-to-hit-pre-pandemic-levels-fada/articleshow/98443213.cms">Wedding bells ring in 16% rise in February auto sales, 2 wheeler sales yet to hit pre-pandemic levels: FADA</a>

Gen Zs & Millennials aid spiritual & wellness-driven tourism recovery in India

Tirupati, Lucknow, Madurai and other non-metros that transacted the most for movies, as per BookMyShow

With over 900 million believers and many faithful, and innumerable ‘holy’ places, Hindu <keyword id="56253" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Temples" source="Orion">temples</keyword> are neither short of footfalls nor donations. So much so when <keyword id="419623" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tirumala-Tirupati" source="Orion">Tirumala Tirupati</keyword> Devasthanam declared that its land holdings are valued at ₹85,000 crore (modestly) across 960 properties all over India — few were surprised. After all, the <keyword id="721647" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lord-Venkateshwara-temple" source="Orion">Lord Venkateshwara temple</keyword> makes <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/siddhivinayak-hundi-rich-temple-india-demonetisation-352322-2016-11-16">$11 million a year</a> selling its ladoos alone, in addition to the thousands who queue up every day and make generous donations. <div type="image" title="Venkateshwara temple makes $11 million a year selling ladoos alone" height="900" width="1200" msid="94550183" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Venkateshwara temple makes $11 million a year selling ladoos alone&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> From the gilded era Tirupati has a long history of generous donations. A 16th century king Krishnadevaraya who ruled over erstwhile Andhra and Karnataka is known to have performed an ‘abhishekham’ with 30,000 gold coins instead of the traditional bathing with milk — in addition to other gold ornaments he donated. <div type="image" title="Tirupati temple has a long history of generous donations" msid="94550258" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Tirupati temple has a long history of generous donations&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Tirupati has been holding on to the richest temple tag for generations till it was displaced by Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala, with an estimated $20 billion lying in its vaults. <div type="image" title="Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala has an estimated $20 billion lying in its vaults" height="900" width="1200" msid="94550303" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala has an estimated $20 billion lying in its vaults&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Some of the treasures uncovered include 1.2 metre solid gold statues studded with precious stones, crowns and countless artefacts. An <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/sree-padmanabhaswamy-temple-wealth-amicus-curiae-finds-serious-lapses-wants-audit/articleshow/33963351.cms?from=mdr">amicus curiae </a>petition was filed in the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/sree-padmanabhaswamy-temple-wealth-amicus-curiae-finds-serious-lapses-wants-audit/articleshow/33963351.cms?from=mdr">Supreme Court, </a>which wanted a scientific audit on the treasures. And a few vaults are still unopened, deepening the mystery of this temple’s wealth. The 12th century temple Shree Jagannath of Puri too is moving to digitise its land records and said that it possesses over <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/land-records-of-lord-jagannaths-over-60000-acres-in-7-states-to-be-digitised/articleshow/94497919.cms">60,000 acres across seven states.</a> <div type="image" title="Jagannath temple in Puri" height="900" width="1200" msid="94550358" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Jagannath temple in Puri&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Built by kings and patronised by their subjects, many Indian temples possess lands, mostly farm lands – to support their upkeep. Most old and large temples receive ample donations in cash and gold that have been filling their Hundis and coffers over the centuries. Endowment bodies are private entities and never had to reveal their wealth, few can guess the extent of cash and gold holdings. Apart from a few details that have become public, very few have ventured to estimate temple wealth. In 2016, the World Gold Council estimated that the gold lying in Indian<a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/temples-hold-about-4-000-tonnes-of-gold-116032400306_1.html"> temples could be as high as 4,000 tonnes</a> — that’s over a fifth of the total gold holdings of the country. Cash, stocks or bonds? The cash that temples receive from Hundis remains enormous. Temples are known to employ large teams to sort and count them and some have even fashioned giant sieves that can sift coins. As the number of financial instruments increase, temple trusts too have expanded their ‘accounts’ to easily receive all sorts of donations. In 2015, Lord Balaji opened his own demat account to receive stocks and bonds. Following Him, are many temple trusts including Vaishno Devi temple, Swaminarayan Temple of Ahmedabad, Srinathji Temple of Nathdwara, Iskon Charities, Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, to name a few. In addition to easing the process of ‘offerings’ in an increasingly cash-free society, this move also helps people turn Gods into their business partners with a small stake. Like in the case of gold, no information is proffered on how much stock trusts hold and if they are traded. What’s the wealth going to do? Legend has it that all that goes into Lord Balaji’s Hundi is used to pay off the interest for a loan that he took from Kubera, the God of wealth, and this payoff will continue till the end of Kali Yug. In reality, it’s the trustees who decide what is to be done with the wealth. And, what do temples do with the wealth? It takes a lot to maintain a temple. Large temples employ a range of staff – be it priests, security guards, cleaning staff and accountants, some temples even have a large administrative staff to manage the finances and more. Moreover, temples hold large events like Navratri festivals, pujas or annual processions like rath yatras. A few temples also cook and serve prasad like the Iskcon temple which offers an elaborate lunch-like prasad on a daily basis. <div type="image" title="Krishna Janmashtami at Iskon temple in Juhu, Mumbai" msid="94550472" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Krishna Janmashtami at Iskon temple in Juhu, Mumbai&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> A few temple trusts also run charitable organisations like schools, colleges, hospitals and even orphanages – so a lot of money goes into that too. During the Covid-19 pandemic, a few temple trusts like Puri’s Shree Jagannath Temple Administration donated in cash while many others provided facilities for quarantine facilities, beds and even Oxygen tanks. All in all – trusts also contribute towards welfare activities. The temples also reserve some of its wealth for a rainy day. During the lockdown, when temples shut doors, a lot of them which depended on daily cash donations <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/26/1200-hindu-temples-india-will-pawn-gold-maintain-running-costs/">had to pawn their gold to maintain</a> the running costs. The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages Kerala’s temples, had deposited some of its gold with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a loan after selling unused lamps and a few brass utensils. The temple and the state Temple priests, seers and Kings always maintained a healthy mutual relationship – some of the former also adorned the courts and were trusted advisors. Tensions however emerged after monarchy and the battle lines were drawn between the church and the state. The first clash occurred in the early 1800s when the East India Company (EIC) demanded a tribute from the Queen of Travancore – the royal family which is now the trustee of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple. As she failed to provide ‘protection money’, the company took over the temple trusts in the region. This passed onto the British crown who later drafted a Madras Religious and Charitable Endowment Act, which later became the The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act – that controls a few hundreds of thousands of temple trusts, mutts and endowments. It is to be noted that the Madras Presidency covered large parts of Tamil Nadu in addition to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and even Kerala — till date, a few hundreds of thousands of temples are directly under government control. In fact, some of the richest trusts including Tirupati, Meenakshi temple of Madurai, Shirdi Sai Baba temple and Siddhi Vinayak <a href="https://asiaconverge.com/2020/09/indian-governments-outdid-aurangzeb-they-emasculated-hindu-temples/">fall under the government control</a>. IAS officers act <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/shirdi-saibaba-trust-ias-official-4560862/">as temple trustees in many temples</a> across states like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, which appointed an IAS officer to the <a href="https://theprint.in/india/nripendra-misra-modis-trusted-former-ias-officer-will-head-ram-temple-construction-panel/368134/">Ayodhya’s Ram temple trust</a>. The trust with the government There have been multiple attempts to bring more trusts under the government’s purview and a few of them have been resisting in multiple ways. The most high profile case has been that of <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/nataraja-temple-to-be-managed-by-priest-not-by-tamil-nadu-govt-114010600610_1.html">Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram Trust and the state government</a> of Tamil Nadu where the court ruled in favour of the trust. The pre-Chola temple where the statue of Shiva itself remains elusive – known as the ‘secret’ – had resisted the state government attempt to take over the trust. A similar attempt at a takeover of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple trust temple, with treasures that are worth hundreds of billions, by the state government — <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/supreme-court-sets-aside-kerala-hc-order-on-government-takeover-of-padmanabhaswamy-temple-5540371.html">was stalled by the Apex court</a>. Yet another case involves the <a href="https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/vaishno-devi-shrine-board-funds-were-used-for-iftaar-parties">Vaishno Devi temple, </a>where a petition was filed challenging the government control of the shrine. The Karnataka government however wants to do away <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/india/karnataka-to-do-away-with-government-control-over-temples-says-cm-bommai-in-budget-speech-article-89990133">with its control over temple trusts</a>, said the chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in March this year. If they do so, they would create a precedent where more endowments would seek autonomy – leaving one of India’s high-profile asset owners with more control of their vaults and all that therein.

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Tirupati laddu controversy: Gujarat lab confirms presence of various animal fats in the sacred prasadam — here’s all we know

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Gen Zs & Millennials aid spiritual & wellness-driven tourism recovery in India

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Tirupati, Lucknow, Madurai and other non-metros that transacted the most for movies, as per BookMyShow

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SIMPLY PUT: Gods must be wealthy but how wealthy are they?

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