At Tirupati temple, footfall dipped after laddu allegations, but bounced back soon

On September 19, erstwhile the allegation blew up, the fig of pilgrims was 68,835. On September 20, however, the fig of pilgrims who visited was 73,104; connected September 21, it was 82,406; portion connected September 22, 82,646 pilgrims visited the temple.

There was alteration connected September 23, erstwhile the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple, announced that it would transportation retired a purification ritual. That day, 65,604 pilgrims paid a visit. The purification rituals were performed successful and astir the temple “to ward disconnected sick effects and reconstruct the sanctity of laddu prasadams”, the TTD said. The rituals were conducted astatine the tanks utilized to store ghee, and the retention country wherever different ingredients that spell into preparing the laddus and different offerings to the deity are kept, arsenic good arsenic the room and trays utilized to transportation the offerings.

Sources said that from September 19 to September 23, connected an average, 3.50 lakh laddus per time were purchased from the temple’s counters. “We person been preparing astir 3.50 lakh laddus each day; determination is nary dip successful the demand. On September 22, we prepared 3.70 lakh. Due to the dense unreserved and demand, TTD had to restrict merchantability of laddus to 4 per person, isolated from 1 escaped laddu to summons holders. Otherwise we would person had to hole much than 5 lakh laddus daily. The room is moving circular the timepiece with a 1-2 hr spread for a implicit cleanable up,” said Muni Ratnam, manager of the ineffable kitchen, known arsenic “potu”. “There was a flimsy dip connected Monday, erstwhile usually determination is little rush, and we prepared conscionable implicit 3 lakh laddus,” helium said.

“After having darshan, it is simply a contented for devotees to caput to the counters to acquisition the laddus for themselves, arsenic good arsenic for family, relatives and friends. Although determination were apprehensions astir the adulterated ghee, the TTD took contiguous steps to reconstruct the sanctity and prime of laddus, truthful its income remained unaffected,” said Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, who visited the temple connected Tuesday and tasted the laddus and different offerings. He besides interacted with devotees who purchased the laddus and took their feedback.

The TTD besides had a windfall during the past fewer days, with currency offerings per time successful the hundi betwixt Rs 3.25 crore to Rs 4.96 crore.