Tirupati Laddu Turns 300

HYDERABAD: The Tirupati laddu, given away as "prasad" at the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirupati, has entered its 300th year. Temple officials say the sacred offering was introduced on August 2, 1715. 

No pilgrimage to the world's richest Hindu temple is complete without the laddu, made of flour, sugar, ghee, oil, cardamom and dry fruits. The mouthwatering sweet is the most sought after `prasadam' after prayers to Lord Venkateswara. Although the temple offers various types of `prasadam', the laddu is more popular among pilgrims.

According to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the affairs of the hill shrine, about ninety million laddus were given away to pilgrims in 2014.

Tirupati Laddu Facts

1. Around 150,000 laddus are made daily.
2. One laddu is given free to each devotee; the number of daily devotees that visit the temple is around 50,000.
3. A devotee can buy extra two laddus – a laddu costs 5 rupees.
4. The revenue from the sale of laddu annually is more than 11 million rupees.
5. Each laddu weighs around 100gms and is huge when compared with the normal laddu found in shops.
6. There is a super huge Tirupati Laddu known as Kalyana Laddu and it weighs around 500gms – ½ a kilogram.
7. Single largest laddu made is said to have weighed 32 kg.
8. The tradition of Tirupati Laddu is nearly 300 years old.
9. It is prepared by special hereditary priests known as archakas in special temple kitchen known as ‘potu’.
10. Ingredients used in Tirupati Laddu are Besan flour (kadalai mavu), Sugar, Cashew nuts, Cardamom, Ghee, Oil, Sugar candy, Raisins and Almonds.

• On a day around 5000 kg of Besan flour is used.
• Sugar around 10000 kg.
• Cashew nuts around 600 kg.
• Cardamom 150 kg
• Ghee 300 liters
• Sugar candy 400 kg
• Raisins 540 kg

The ingredients are bought at the auction at the Commodities and Spices Exchange in Kochi.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTDs) the administrating body of the temple is planning to patent the Tirupati Laddu to stop counterfeits.