TTD: Laddu-making to be fully automated; machines to be installed by Dec
The practice of offering laddu to Venkateswara at Tirumala started on 2 August 1715. The laddu prasadam is prepared within the temple kitchen known as 'Potu' in the Sampangi pradakshinam of the temple.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 4 Feb 2023 12:05 PM IST
Tirupati: Laddu-making will soon be fully automated at Venkateswara Swamy temple of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). Venkateswara Swamy temple of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) will install fully automatic laddu-making machines by December. TTD Executive Officer AV Dharma Reddy said that TTD will import the high-end machinery from Germany, Australia, and Switzerland with a cost of Rs 50 crore to automate laddu-making. The machinery, which will be donated by Reliance Industries, will produce hygienic and quality laddus. The machine can make nearly 6 lakh laddus a day which is double than current production. Other than providing an oval round shape to the laddu manually at the end, the laddu-making process will be automated.
History of 'Potu' Kitchen
The practice of offering laddu to Venkateswara at Tirumala started on 2 August 1715. The laddu prasadam is prepared within the temple kitchen known as 'Potu' in the Sampangi pradakshinam of the 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. In the olden days, only firewood was used to cook laddus, which was replaced by LPG in 1984. The potu can make 8,00,000 per day. Around 620 cooks referred to as potu karmikulu work in the laddu potu to make laddus.
State-of-the-art museum:
Dharma Reddy said that the construction work on the state-of-the-art 'SV Museum' in Tirumala would be completed by the end of the year. The SV Museum is built at a cost of Rs 120 crore. "The devotees will have a unique experience and even the 3D images of the Lord's jewels will also be displayed," he added.
20.78 lakh devotees had darshan in January
Dharma Reddy said 20.78 lakh devotees visited the temple in January, while 37.38 lakh had Annaprasadam and 7.51 lakh offered tonsures. Hundi collection stood at Rs 123.07 crore, while 1.07 crore laddus were distributed to pilgrims. "An unprecedented number of pilgrims turned up for the one-day Brahmotsavam which is on Ratha Saptami, which was celebrated after two years of the pandemic", said Reddy.
