One Of India's Richest Temples is Now Using Organic Laddus

The decision to completely go organic was taken in May by Jawahar Reddy, the temple's former executive officer, and was motivated by a devotee's donation of chemical-free rice to the temple in 2021. The temple draws 60,000 to 70,000 visitors daily.

Tens of thousands of laddus are made and sold by the temple every day to visitors and devotees because they are said to be a conduit for Lord Venkateswara's blessings. Ghee, cashews, raisins, cardamom, and jaggery are additional ingredients. The majority of them are now also obtained from nearby organic growers.

So, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam temple now supplies a dozen chemical-free items required to make laddus, mobilizing roughly 25,000 producers who engage in natural farming.

And obtaining goods that are harvested at various times, processing them from certain millers, regulating storage and quality, and sustaining the supply all year-round present difficulties. However, India's primary farming season is currently at its height.

To help her husband manage their three-acre (1.2-hectare) farm, Venkat Shobha Rani gave up her job as a high school teacher three years ago. She is one of an increasing number of agrarian people who are converting to integrated farming in the confederate Indian authorities of Andhra Pradesh.

Shobha signed up with a state organization in the middle of August to once more provide organic Bengal gram (chickpeas) to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam temple, which is devoted to her favorite god, Lord Venkateswara, also known as Vishnu.

As farmer incomes decline and input costs rise, Andhra Pradesh, like many other Indian states, is experiencing an agriculture crisis. Other states are closely monitoring the effort to assist farmers in switching to an organic diet since it is viewed as an important experiment.

Aiming to sign up one million farmers to practice either totally or partially organic farming this year, the campaign has extended throughout the state.

In Andhra Pradesh, eleven other temples have since followed in its footsteps. For the agricultural season of 2022–2023, they have made a joint order for 25,000 tonnes of certified organic vegetables. According to state officials, the move has significantly aided Andhra Pradesh's effort for organic farming.