Karnataka govt issues order to use Nandini ghee at all 34,000 temples amid Tirupati laddu row
Karnataka mandates Nandini ghee for all state-run temples after the Tirupati temple's ghee controversy. The official circular stated that temple workers must always guarantee that the quality of 'prasada' is not compromised. Read more.
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FollowAmid controversy over the use of 'animal fat' in ghee at the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh, the Karnataka government issued a decree on Friday ordering the use of Nandini brand ghee at all 34,000 temples managed by the state's temple management authority.
The Karnataka government's latest regulation mandates that all temples under its authority utilize only Nandini ghee supplied by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) for temple rites such as lighting lamps and making 'prasada', as well as in 'Dasoha Bhavans' - venues where devotees are fed food. The official circular stated that temple workers must always guarantee that the quality of 'prasada' is not compromised.
"In all the notified temples under the Religious Endowment Department of Karnataka State, it has been directed to use only Nandini Ghee for services, lamps, and preparation of all types of prasada and in Dasoha Bhavan. It has been suggested to maintain the quality in the prasada prepared in the temples," the circular reads.
The order follows a bigger issue over the suspected use of animal fat in ghee to make laddoos at the famed Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirupati, which is overseen by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
The matter began earlier this week when N Chandrababu Naidu, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, said that samples had shown positive results for lard and other animal fats, prompting him to express worries about the purity of the ghee used at the temple.
The kitchen of the Tirupati temple, which turns out over 3 lakh laddoos a day, needs a tonne of ingredients. One of the most important ones is 15,000 kg of ghee, plus cashew nuts, raisins, cardamoms, gramme flour, and sugar. According to reports, the majority of the ghee in issue came from the Dindigul area of Tamil Nadu.
The Health Ministry quickly demanded a detailed report on the issue, and Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi called for a thorough inquiry, insisting that "the culprit should be punished."
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