The controversy surrounding the adulteration of the Tirumala Laddu Mahaprasadam has shocked the nation. It all began when Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan suggested creating a national-level ‘Sanatana Dharma Rakshana Board’ to address concerns about the quality of ingredients used in the preparation of the sacred prasadams. His proposal sparked widespread debate, with many religious leaders and Hindu organisations supporting the idea. These groups also emphasized the need for temples like Tirumala to have their own Goshalas (cow shelters) to ensure the purity of milk and milk products used in making prasadams. To gather opinions on this issue, Team Hans spoke to various individuals from different backgrounds.
M. Ramadevi from Khammam believes that the state government should take the initiative by passing a law in the next Assembly session to free temples from the control of the Endowment Department. She argues that smaller temples, in particular, are being neglected and should manage themselves independently. According to her, independent bodies can better protect temples and promote Hindu culture and traditions.
Dr. PGK Venkateshwara Rao, President of the Rashtriya Kurni Sangham in Gadwal, feels that bringing temples under the control of the Endowment Department was part of a policy introduced by Nehru after India’s independence. He believes that in this “Amrit Kal” (a time of national rejuvenation), temples should be made independent. He thinks this would encourage spiritual growth and the promotion of Hindu culture, which is much needed today.
Manideep, a software engineer from Jadcherla, also supports the idea of giving Hindu temples full autonomy. He believes this would allow temple trusts to make decisions that preserve traditions and uphold the principles of Sanatana Dharma.
Narendra Sharma, a priest at the Ayyappa Temple in Mahabubnagar, argues that the government’s control of major temples is mainly motivated by the revenue they generate, with little concern for the feelings of devotees. He suggests scrapping the Endowment Department and ensuring all major temples have their own Goshalas. He emphasizes that these Goshalas should use quality cows, not those rescued from the streets, to ensure the milk used for prasadams is of the highest quality.
Amar, an advocate from Nalgonda, states that temples are sacred places and should not be politicized. He believes that any money donated by devotees should be properly used for the development of the temple and the promotion of Hindu culture. He also insists that temples must have their own Goshalas, as cows are said to represent three crore Hindu gods. According to him, having a Goshala would increase the spiritual power of the temples.
Mrs. Nagendra from Nalgonda feels that temples under the Endowment Department have become places for unemployed politicians. She says that the recent controversy over adulterated ghee at Tirumala highlights the need for urgent reforms. She supports the idea of having Goshalas at every major temple, which could also supply excess ghee to smaller temples.
Jasmat Patel from Nalgonda offers a more balanced view. While he agrees that removing government control could have benefits, he believes there should still be a department like Endowments, but it should not have a claim over temple money. He also points out that the facilities for devotees in southern temples are better compared to those in the north. He supports the idea of having Goshalas in temples as a positive step.
RK Jain from Yadadri shares that the debate over whether temples should be free from the Endowments Department is crucial. He believes that allowing temples to be run by religious leaders or devotee-run trusts would help maintain tradition and spiritual focus. He also strongly supports the idea of making Goshalas mandatory in temples to maintain the purity of the prasadams.
In conclusion, the debate about temple management and the recent controversy over adulterated ingredients has raised important questions about the role of the government in temple administration. Many people from different walks of life believe that temples should operate independently, with their own Goshalas to ensure the purity of offerings and to preserve Hindu traditions.
