Tirupati, Oct 4 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday offered ‘Pattu Vastralu’ (silk robes) at Tirumala temple to mark the beginning of annual Brahmotsavam festival.
Accompanied by his wife N. Bhuvaneswari, the Chief Minister made the offering on behalf of the state government to the deity at the famous hill shrine.
After darshan at Bedi Anjaneya Swamy temple, the Chief Minister reached Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple, carrying a silver plate with ‘Pattu Vastralu’ on his head.
Amid the chanting of religious hymns by priests, Chandrababu Naidu made the offering and had a darshan.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Executive Officer J. Symala Rao and other officials were present.
The Chief Minister will attend the Pedda Sesha Vahanam Seva on Saturday. He will also inaugurate Vakula Mata Central Kitchen, which will cater to around 1.1 lakh devotees.
The annual festival Brahmotsavam will continue till October 12. According to TTD officials, every morning and evening there will be a procession of vahanas called Vahana Sevas. Every day, around one lakh devotees are expected to participate in the rituals.
Garuda Vahana Seva will be held on October 8 and TTD expects participation by 3.5 lakh devotees in this annual event.
This year the Brahmotsavam is being held amid the row over adulteration of ghee used to make laddu prasadam.
On September 18, Chief Minister Naidu claimed that ghee adulterated with animal fat was used to make laddu prasadam when the YSR Congress Party was in power. This triggered an outrage among devotees across the country.
Following the allegations, the TTD conducted purification rituals at the temple premises. The rituals were conducted at the tanks used to store ghee, and the area where other ingredients that go into preparing the laddus and other offerings are stored, as well as the kitchen, and the trays used to carry the offerings.
YSR Congress Paty, however, dismissed the allegation and accused Naidu of tarnishing the sanctity of the temple.
The state government on September 25 constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of police to probe the allegations.
While hearing the matter on September 30, the Supreme Court commented that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu should have ‘kept the gods away from politics’ before rushing in to make public statements based on unsure facts that lard was used to prepare the laddus in the previous regime.
The apex court observed that there is currently nothing to show that animal fat was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus during the previous YSRCP regime.
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a CBI-monitored probe. It reconstituted SIT which will have a couple of CBI officers along with two police officers from Andhra Pradesh and one official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).