Tirupati Laddu

Tirupati Laddu or SriVari Laddu^[1] is the Laddu sweet offered as Naivedhyam to Lord Sri Venkateswara, at Tirumala Venkateswara Temple of Tirupati in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Laddu will be given as prasadam to devotees after the having the Darshan in the Temple. The Laddu Prasadam is prepared by Temple board Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams within the temple kitchen known as 'Potu'.

Tirupati Laddu had got Geographical indication tag which entitles only Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams to make or sell it.^[2][3] Over 90 million laddus were distributed to pilgrims during the year 2014.^[4]

History

Offering Laddu to Lord Venkateswara in Tirupati Temple started on 2 August 1715.^[5][6]

Geographical indication tag

To prevent black marketing of Tirupati Laddus, in 2008,the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams registered for Geographical indication tag for Tirupati Laddu. In 2009, Tirupati Laddu was registered as Geographical Indications under the category foodstuff under section 2(f) of the GI Act 1999, vide Application number 121.^[7] This has prevented others from preparing or naming the sweet with same name.^[1]

Laddu Production

TTD prepares on an average of 1.5 lakh laddus a day in Laddu potu. At present, the potu is equipped with a capacity of making 800,000 Laddus a day.^[6]

Laddu Potu

Laddu Potu is the Kitchen where Tirupati Laddus will be prepared. It lies inside the Sampangi pradakshinam of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. The Potu is equipped with three conveyor belts used for carrying ingredients into the potu and finished Laddus to the selling counters from Potu.^[8] Out of three conveyor belts the first one installed during 2007 can tranfer only laddus and the second installed in the year 2010 can transfer both laddus and boondi. The third conveyor belt was installed during 2014 as a backup for the two conveyor belts if they go malfunctioning.^[9] In olden days only fire wood was used to cook Laddus, which was replaced by LPG in the year 1984.^[6]

Dittam

Dittam is the list of ingredients and its proportions used in making of Tirupati Laddu. To meet the increasing demand for Srivari Laddu, changes were made to Dittam for six times in its history.^[6] At present the ingredients include besan flour, cashew nuts, cardamom, ghee, sugar, sugar candy and raisins.^[1] Per day it uses about 10 tonnes of Gram flour, 10 tonnes of sugar, 700 kg of cashew nuts, 150 kg of cardamom, 300 to 500 litres of ghee, 500 kg of sugar candy and 540 kg of raisins used to prepare laddu. TTD procures all these based on tenders on yearly basis.^[10]

Potu karmikulu

Around 200 cooks works in the laddu potu to make laddus. These workers are referred to as potu karmikulu.^[10]

Tirupati Laddu Variations

Asthanam Laddu

This Laddu is prepared on special festive occasions only and weighs 750 Grams. It will be prepared with more cashews, Almonds, Saffron flowers than other laddus.^[11]

Kalyanotsavam Laddu

This will be distributed to devotees who participate in Kalyanotsavam and few of Arjitha sevas. There is huge demand for these laddus. These will be prepared in very less number when compared to Proktham Laddu.^[11]

Proktham Laddu

This is normal laddu which is distributed to Common pilgrims. It is smaller in size out of three and weighs 175 grams. These laddus will be prepared in huge number.^[11]

References