Certified ghee used in laddu making

Yadadri: Yadadri Executive Officer (EO) Bhaskar Rao has assured that only certified ghee is being used in the preparation of Yadadri temple’s famous laddus. He stated that all necessary steps are being taken to maintain the sanctity and quality of the prasadam and temple services.

In an exclusrive interview with The Hans India, EO Rao shared updates on various development initiatives since taking charge. “We have installed German hangers to shield devotees from the heat and constructed three toilet complexes on the hillock for the convenience of women devotees,” he said.

The EO highlighted that the same laddu quality has been maintained for the past 40 years. “Around 700 kgs of ghee are used daily in prasadam preparation. Mother Dairy supplies the ghee through a tender process,” Rao added.

Mother Dairy, which has its own testing lab, provides a quality report with every 10,000 kgs batch. Additionally, the fat content of the ghee is checked at the State Food Laboratory in Nacharam, Hyderabad. On average, 30,000 laddus are prepared daily through mechanisation, and the temple incurs a loss of Rs 2 per laddu and 0.60 ps per pulihora prasadam.

The temple also maintains a goshala (cow shelter) with 180 cows located at the foot of the hill. About 15 to 20 cows provide milk daily, which is used for abhishekam and other rituals. The goshala is managed hygienically, ensuring the purity of offerings made to the deity.

The EO shared that the gold plating of the Vimana Gopuram is expected to be completed by the upcoming Brahmotsavams. He revealed that the temple has received donations of 1,400 kgs of silver and 15 kgs of mixed gold through the temple hundi. Additionally, donors have contributed 11 kgs of gold, and the government has allocated Rs 20 crores for the project.

A five-member committee has been formed to oversee the progress, and the EO expressed confidence that the work will be completed before the festival.