Indore (Madhya Pradesh): After reports of adulteration in the prasad of Tirupati Balaji Temple, city’s renowned Khajrana Ganesh Temple has initiated checks on the purity of its Prasad on Sunday.
A team from the Food and Drug Department collected samples from the temple's food preparation area and laddu-making facility. The samples include laddu, ghee, flour, besan, toor dal, moong dal, rajma and rice, which have been sent to the state food testing laboratory in Bhopal for analysis. Khajrana Ganesh Temple is internationally famous for its religious significance where hundreds of devotees receive laddu as Prasad every day.
Approximately 60 kilograms of laddus are sold daily, with a variety of ingredients used in its preparation. Officials reported that a total of 17 samples were collected—11 from the temple's food preparation area and laddu-making facility and 6 from nearby shops.
Six shops within the Khajrana Temple complex that sell prasad were also inspected. Samples of laddus were taken from these shops and sent for testing. The temple attracts large crowds, especially during Ganeshotsav, when thousands of devotees come for darshan. If any adulteration or violation of food safety standards is found in the test reports, strict action will be taken.
‘This inspection process is not just a one-day action but will be an ongoing effort. Similar checks will be conducted at other major religious sites to ensure there are no cases of adulteration or food safety violations,’ Manish Swami, Chief Food Safety Officer said. In Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati Temple, allegations surfaced that prasad contained animal fat and fish oil. The incident prompted checks in temples across various states to ensure devotees receive pure and safe prasad and that their faith is not compromised.
