The Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, underwent a purification ceremony on Monday following allegations that ghee used in the temple's famous laddoos contained animal fat, including fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (pig fat). The temple, considered one of Hinduism's holiest sites, held a four-hour-long 'Maha Shani Homam' performed by priests to cleanse the temple and its offerings, following concerns about the purity of the prasadam (sacred offerings).

Syamala Rao, Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) — the trust that manages the temple — said the ceremony, which focused particularly on the kitchen where the laddoos are prepared, aimed to "ward off ill effects of adulteration" and restore the sanctity of the prasadam. Rao also assured devotees that a new system had been introduced to procure pure cow ghee, resulting in an improved taste of the laddoos.

The controversy began when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party raised concerns last week, following a lab report from Gujarat dated July 17, which suggested that animal fat was present in ghee samples from the temple’s kitchen. In response, Naidu ordered a special investigation by a police team to probe the matter.

Naidu alleged that various improper practices had been taking place over the past five years under the previous administration of the temple, particularly accusing former TTD Chairperson Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, a member of the YSR Congress, and the temple’s former Executive Officer, Dharma Reddy, of mismanagement. He also announced that non-Hindus would no longer be allowed to serve on the temple’s management board.

In defense, Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, now a member of the opposition YSR Congress, denied the accusations, stating that a tanker containing the potentially adulterated ghee had arrived in July but was rejected by the temple's robust testing system. Reddy also pointed out disclaimers in the lab report, which mentioned that its findings could be voided under certain conditions, such as the cows being fed high levels of vegetable oils.

Amid the ongoing dispute, Reddy wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing Chandrababu Naidu of spreading falsehoods and using religion for political gain. He emphasized that the temple has strict practices in place to ensure the quality of its ghee and that the July shipment had been turned away after it failed tests.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who is also a leader of the Jana Sena party, began an 11-day fast as penance over the incident. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also entered the fray, demanding a court-monitored investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Health Minister JP Nadda and Food Minister Pralhad Joshi have both called for a thorough inquiry, vowing that the matter will be taken seriously and resolved to its "logical end."

A public interest litigation (PIL) has also been filed in the Supreme Court, seeking an investigation into the alleged use of animal fat in the temple's ghee, arguing that this violates the constitutional right to freedom of religion guaranteed under Article 25.

The Tirupati temple kitchen produces around 300,000 laddoos every day, using approximately 1,500 kg of ghee alongside large quantities of cashews, raisins, cardamoms, gram flour, and sugar. Reports suggest the ghee in question was sourced from Tamil Nadu's Dindigul district.