Lucknow:

The controversy over the alleged adulteration of Tirupati Temple laddus has sparked reactions from Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, with calls for reform in the preparation and distribution of ‘prasad’.

In Ayodhya, the chief priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Satyendra Das, demanded a “complete ban” on prasad prepared by external agencies.

He expressed concerns over the purity of ghee used in temple offerings, urging that “all prasad should be prepared under the supervision of temple priests”.

“The controversy over the alleged use of fat and meat in Tirupati Balaji’s prasad is escalating across the country,” Das noted, emphasising the need for stringent inspections of the quality of oil and ghee sold nationwide.

He alleged that there was an international conspiracy to desecrate temples by mixing inappropriate substances in offerings.

In Mathura, the Dharma Raksha Sangh announced its decision to revert to the “ancient style” of ‘prasadam’ recipes, replacing commercially produced sweets with offerings made from fruits, flowers and other natural ingredients.

Saurabh Gaur, the national president of the Sangh, stressed the need for significant reforms in the prasadam system, saying, “A consensus had been reached among religious leaders and organisations to return to traditional practices of offering and accepting pure, Satvik Prasadam.” In ‘Sangam city’ Prayagraj, several temples, including Alop Shankari Devi, Bade Hanuman, and Mankameshwar, have banned devotees from bringing sweets and processed items as offerings.

Shiv Murat Mishra, the chief priest of the Lalita Devi Temple, said the management decided to request devotees to bring only coconuts, fruits, and dry fruits.

“Until the purity of the sweets is clear in the investigation, they will not be allowed to be offered in the temple,” said Mahant Shridharanand Brahmachari Ji Maharaj of the Mankameshwar Temple.

Yamuna Puri Maharaj, chief patron of the Alop Shankari Devi Temple and secretary of Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani, said devotees will not be allowed to bring sweets and prasad from outside.

Mahant Balbir Giri Ji Maharaj, the patron of the Bade Hanuman temple located on the Sangam coast and head of the Shrimath Baghambari Gaddi, said, “After the construction of the corridor of the temple is completed, the temple management itself will prepare ‘laddu-peda’ prasad for the Shri Bade Hanuman temple.”

On Monday, the famous Mankameshwar temple in Lucknow also banned offerings bought by devotees from outside and said they could offer homemade ‘prasad’ or fruits.

The temple management said it was also taking steps to ensure the purity of prasad offered on the site, with plans to conduct quality checks and potentially establish its own prasad production facilities.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had last week claimed that substandard ingredients and animal fat were used in the preparation of laddus at the Tirupati Temple during the previous government.

The YSRCP responded by accusing Naidu of making baseless allegations for political gains, leading to the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the claims. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

In January, during the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, 300 kilograms of ‘prasad’ from the Tirupati temple was distributed to devotees, confirmed Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the temple. This revelation comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding the alleged use of animal fat in ghee in the preparation of laddoos at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati, managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

“If animal fat was mixed in the ‘prasad’, it is unforgivable. Strict action should be taken against those responsible,” Mr Das said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The TTD revealed that the lab report confirmed the presence of lard and other impurities in ghee used by a contractor. An official stated that the contractor responsible for supplying adulterated ghee had been blacklisted and legal proceedings were initiated.

The row began when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu first raised concerns about the quality of the ‘prasad’, alleging that animal fat was used during the tenure of the previous YSRCP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Mr Naidu accused the YSRCP regime of purchasing substandard ghee at cheaper rates, which compromised the sacredness of the Tirupati laddoos.

In response, former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy dismissed these allegations as “diversion politics” and a “concocted story” aimed at shifting focus from the current government’s failures.

The issue intensified after lab reports, commissioned by the TDP, backed Mr Naidu’s claims. According to these reports, the ghee samples tested showed traces of animal fats, including beef tallow, lard, and fish oil. The temple management confirmed that four separate tests revealed similar results, prompting immediate action to halt supplies from the blacklisted contractor.

Mr Naidu, in a public address, announced that new suppliers of pure cow ghee, including the Nandini brand from Karnataka, have been engaged to restore the sacredness of the laddoos. The former chief priest of the Tirupati temple, Ramana Deekshitulu, also expressed concerns over the issue, stating that he had previously raised the matter with the TTD management to no avail.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi have both called for investigations and have sought reports from the Andhra Pradesh government. The TTD has assured devotees that the purity of the laddoos has now been restored, and steps have been taken to ensure that only the highest quality ingredients are used going forward.

Washington:

A replica of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir would be on display during the India Day parade in New York on August 18, which attracts thousands of Indian Americans from in and around New York.

The replica of the temple would be 18 feet long, nine feet wide and eight feet in height, according to Amitabh Mittal, general secretary of Vishva Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA). This would be the first time that a replica of the Ram Mandir would be on display in the United States.

The annual India Day Parade in New York is the largest celebration of India’s Independence Day outside India. More than 150,000 people normally watch the annual parade which runs from East 38th Street to East 27th Street in Midtown New York.

Organised by Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), the parade will see scores of floats representing various Indian American communities and a diversity of culture running through the streets of New York.

The VHPA-A recently organised a Ram Mandir Rath Yatra that visited 851 temples in 48 States over 60 days.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Six months after the grand opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the first round of showers has caused heavy waterlogging in the temple town raising questions over its swift and massive infrastructure overhaul.

The newly built Ram Path road in Ayodhya – which leads to the Ram Temple – has suffered several cave-ins since seasonal rain hit the temple town.

After potholes came up on the 14-km stretch, authorities said they immediately got the road repaired to avoid any inconvenience for the devotees. The Yogi Adityanath government has suspended six civic officials over “gross negligence,” officials said.

Ayodhya mayor Girish Pati Tripathi said that efforts to flush out the rainwater were launched soon after the waterlogging was reported.

Leakage was also reported at the temple after heavy rain at midnight last Saturday. The Chief Priest of the Ram Temple, had on Monday claimed that rainwater that was leaking from the roof of the temple was collecting inside the complex. He also claimed that there was no arrangement to flush out the rainwater from the temple premises.

Rejecting the leakage claims, Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Temple Trust, however, said “not a single drop of water” dripped from the roof, nor had water entered the Sanctum Sanctorum or ‘Garbha Griha’.from anywhere. He also said that “excellent arrangements” have been made at the temple to drain rainwater.

Mr Rai said that while it appeared that water was leaking from the roof, it was in fact coming from a conduit pipe due to ongoing construction work on the first floor of the temple.

Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee, had earlier said that the alleged water leakage at the Ram Mandir was “expected because the Guru Mandap is exposed to the sky” as the construction work was still on, but the water never entered the ‘Garbha Griha’.

“I am in Ayodhya. I saw the rainwater falling from the first floor. This is expected because Guru Mandap is exposed to the sky as the second floor and completion of Shikhar will cover this opening. There is no drainage in the Sanctum Santorum because all the Mandaps have measured slope for clearance of water and the water in Sanctum Santorum is manually absorbed,” Mr Mishra had told ANI on Monday.

The opposition leaders, however, were quick to pounce on the BJP, alleging that there was large scale corruption in the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. ”Even the places of worship are sources of loot for the BJP,” UP Congress President Ajay Rai said.

The Ram Temple in Ayodhya was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22. Considered the birthplace of Lord Ram, Ayodhya’s Ram Temple is one of the holiest sites in Hindusim.

Ayodhya:

Water was leaking from the roof of the sanctum sanctorum at the Ram temple after the first heavy showers since it was opened to the public, its chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das said on Monday.

Alleging negligence in the construction of the temple, Acharya Das claimed that there was also no arrangement for the drainage of rainwater from the temple premises after the showers on Saturday midnight and urged the temple authorities to take necessary corrective measures.

After the senior officials were informed about the incident of water leaking from the roof, the chairman of the temple construction committee, Nripendra Mishra, reached the temple and gave instructions to repair the roof and make them waterproof, temple trust sources said.

Speaking separately to reporters about the progress of temple construction, Mr Mishra said that work on the first floor was on and will be finished by July this year, and expressed the hope that the construction of the temple will be completed by December.

Acharya Satyendra Das told reporters there was heavy leakage from the roof of the temple’s sanctum sanctorum in the first heavy showers that occurred at midnight on Saturday. Rainwater was leaking from the roof directly above the place where the priest sits in front of Ram Lalla’s idol and where people come for VIP darshan, he said.

“It is very surprising that engineers from all over the country are building the Ram temple. The temple was inaugurated on January 22. But, no one knew that if it rains, the roof will leak. It is surprising that the roof of a world-famous temple is leaking. Why did this happen?” “Such an incident is happening in the presence of such big engineers, which is very wrong,” he said.

Meanwhile, rains on Saturday night caused severe waterlogging on the Rampath road and its adjoining laneshere. While sewer water entered houses in the area, the Rampath road and other newly constructed roads in Ayodhya caved in at some places.

There was waterlogging from Jalwanpura to Hanumangarhi Bhaktipath and from Tedhi Bazaar to the inner areas, locals said.

Reacting to the sewer water entering houses in the lanes of Rampath during the rain, Ayodhya Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi said, “I have started damage control since morning. I have deployed several teams of the municipality to remove water from the houses.” However, attempts to seek the response of top officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) did not fructify.

Meanwhile, the Congress accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of indulging in corruption in the temple construction and building of civic facilities in the temple town.

“Be it the coffin of the martyrs or the temple of God, all these have become opportunities for corruption for the BJP. Even the symbols of faith and purity in the country are just opportunities of loot for them,” Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai alleged in a statement on Monday.

“It has become clear from the statement of chief priest Satyendra Das that water is leaking in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple built at a cost of crores due to the first rain and there is no proper drainage system,” he said.

Rai said, “Not only this, the mask of the BJP, which was beating the drum of development of Ayodhya, has come off with the road collapsing at many places on the Rampath built at a cost of Rs 624 crore.” He alleged that the BJP has made Ayodhya a “hub of corruption by getting second-rate construction done in a hurry only to gain electoral benefits”.

“The BJP has only done injustice to the people there by not giving them proper compensation,” he alleged.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ayodhya:

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan visited the Ram temple here on Wednesday and bowed before the deity.

Kerala Raj Bhawan, in a post on X, said the governor visited the Ram Temple and had a darshan.

“I came to Ayodhya twice in January. The feeling at that time is the same even today. I have come to Ayodhya many times. It is not just a matter of happiness for us, instead it is a matter of pride, that coming to Ayodhya and worshipping Shriram,” the governor told reporters.

Hon’ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan at Prabhu Shri Ram Temple Ayodhya: PRO KeralaRajBhavan pic.twitter.com/wCzZCSirLt

— Kerala Governor (@KeralaGovernor) May 8, 2024

In a video posted on the official X handle of the Kerala Governor showing Mr Khan bowing before the idol of Ram Lalla, the chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’ could be heard in the background.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ayodhya:

A provincial armed constabulary (PAC) commando was injured in an “accidental firing” while cleaning his weapon at his post in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex here on Tuesday evening, police said.

Platoon commander Ram Prasad (50) was rushed to the Ayodhya medical college, from which he was referred to KGMU Lucknow as his condition was said to be serious, they said.

The commando has been posted at the Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya for about 6 months for security duty.

Inspector General of Police Pravin Kumar told PTI that the commando was injured while he was cleaning weapons at his post.

Dr Vinod Kumar Arya, emergency in-charge of the medical college in Ayodhya, said the bullet hit Ram Prasad on the left side of his chest.

Since his condition was serious, the commando had to be referred to KGMU in Lucknow, the doctor said.

Prasad is a resident of Achalpur village in Amethi district.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Ayodhya’s grand Ram temple today witnessed its first Holi celebration since its inauguration in January this year. A large number of devotees gathered early in the morning to partake in the festivities of offering colours and sweets to the Ram Lalla idol adorning the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. 

The temple priests engaged in a ceremonial playing of Holi, accompanied by the traditional offerings of abir and gulal as part of the Raag Bhog rituals. Additionally, an array of 56 dishes was presented before the idol as prasad.

“Ramlalla is celebrating his first Holi after his consecration in the temple. His charming idol was decorated with flowers, gulaal has been applied on the forehead. On this occasion, the idol of Ram Lalla wore a pink dress,” said Acharya Satyendra Das, chief priest of the temple.

The temple priests sang Holi songs along with the devotees and danced in front of the idol in celebration.

The festivities extended beyond the temple’s confines. Devotees could be seen gathering in huge numbers outside the temple’s premises to celebrate Rangotsav as Holi fever gripped the ancient city of Ayodhya. 

To regulate the massive influx of crowd, adequate security measures were put in place for a smooth darshan for devotees.

The Ram Temple was thrown open to the public on January 23, a day after the much-celebrated consecration ceremony, presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by a host of politicians and celebrities. 

The construction of the Ram Temple was initiated after a prolonged legal battle that concluded with the Supreme Court ruling in favour of the temple in November 2019. Prime Minister Modi, addressing the nation, had declared the consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol as the advent of a new era.

Permanent Representative of India to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

India has slammed Pakistan and described it as a “broken record” that remains stagnant while the world progresses, after Islamabad’s envoy made references to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) during remarks to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA.)

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said this while responding to comments made by Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram during the plenary meeting on March 15 where the resolution ‘Measures to combat Islamophobia’, introduced by Pakistan, was adopted by the 193-member UN General Assembly.

“One final point concerns a delegation (and its remarks) that, much like a broken record, remains sadly stagnant while the world progresses,” she said.

Mr. Akram made references to the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as well as to the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Ms. Kamboj said it is “unfortunate indeed to witness this delegation’s limited and misguided perspective on matters relating to my country, the more so, when the General Assembly considers a matter that demands wisdom, depth, and a global outlook from the entire membership – perhaps not the forte of this delegation.” Ms. Kamboj delivered a statement in explanation of India’s position during the adoption of the resolution on ‘Measures to combat Islamophobia’ at the UNGA.

The General Assembly adopted the resolution, with 115 nations voting in favour, none against and 44 abstentions, including India, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine and the UK.

Ayodhya:

The newly constructed Ram temple has received donations, including 25 kg gold and silver ornament, of around Rs 25 crore in a month after the consecration ceremony on January 22, trust officials on Saturday said.

Prakash Gupta, office in charge of the Ram temple trust, said the amount of Rs 25 crore include cheques, drafts and cash deposited in the temple trust’s office along with those deposited in the donation boxes.

“However, we are not aware of the online transactions done directly in the trust’s bank accounts,” he added.

Gupta said that a total of around 60 lakh devotees have had darshan since January 23.

“The devotion of Ram devotees is such that they are donating items made of silver and gold for Ram Lalla which cannot be used in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple, despite this, considering the devotion of the devotees, Ram Mandir Trust is accepting jewellery, utensils and materials made of gold and silver,” he said.

Gupta said the temple trust is expecting an increase in donations during the days of Ram Navami festival when about 50 lakh devotees will be present in Ayodhya.

Gupta further said the State Bank of India (SBI) has installed four automatic high-tech counting machines at Ram Janmabhoomi to control the heavy inflow of cash and expected offering during the Ram Navami.

“A dozen computerised counters have been made by the Trust to issue receipts and additional donation boxes are being kept at the temple premises by the Ram temple trust. Soon a big and well equipped counting room will be constructed at Ram temple premises,” he said.

Anil Mishra, trustee of the Ram temple trust, said that for the valuation of gold and silver jewellery and precious materials received as gift to Ram Lalla, their melting and maintenance has been handed over to the Government of India Mint.

Mishra said along with this, an MoU has been signed between the SBI and the Trust.

According to the MoU, the SBI will take full responsibility of collection of donations, offerings, cheques, drafts and cash and deposit it in the bank, he added.

Mishra said that a team of the SBI started its work by increasing the staff and counting of donated cash is being done in two shifts daily.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)