Bhumana alleges ghee shortage at Tirumala

Tirupati: Former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy raised fresh concerns over the availability of ghee at Tirumala temple even as the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) continues to face scrutiny in the ongoing laddu ghee controversy. Speaking to the media in Tirupati on Monday, he claimed that ghee stocks at Tirumala were running dangerously low.

According to him, the temple trust requires around 15,000 to 17,000 kilograms of ghee daily to prepare about 3.5 lakh laddus and other anna prasadams offered to devotees after being presented to Lord Venkateswara. He alleged that the current stock was only around 3,500 kilograms, which could create difficulties in maintaining the daily preparation of prasadam.

Bhumana also referred to a road accident involving a truck carrying cow ghee meant for Tirumala. The vehicle, transporting around 21 tonnes of ghee from a dairy in Pune, overturned near Chitravathi bridge in Kondapur mandal of Kadapa district on Sunday.

Calling the accident unprecedented in the history of the temple administration, the former TTD chief criticised the government, stating that the ongoing political debate around the laddu issue was diverting attention from ensuring steady supplies of ghee, a key ingredient in the famous Tirupati laddu.

Meanwhile, TTD officials acknowledged the accident involving the ghee consignment but assured that alternate arrangements had already been made. They clarified that supplies from two other dairies were continuing without interruption. Officials further said that a buffer stock of nearly seven lakh laddus is currently maintained at Tirumala, ensuring that devotees visiting the shrine face no shortage of the sacred prasadam.