Devotees visiting the Sri Durgamalleswara Swamy Warla temple in the city would have to be content with smaller laddu prasadam as temple authorities are planning to shrink the laddu from existing 100 grams to 80 grams, citing different reasons. Pulihora prasadam will be offered at the existing price of Rs. 5 per 150 grams packet.
At present, each laddu prasadam is offered in a pack of 100 grams for Rs.10. Everyday, 25,000 to 30,000 laddus are sold at the temple. Sales increase by nearly 10,000 laddus per day during Fridays, Sundays and holidays.
10 ingredientsOver 10 ingredients are used in preparing the laddu. Of late, temple authorities are finding it tough to procure ghee, one of the key ingredients in making laddu, due to acute scarcity in the state.
Every month, the temple requires about 18,000 kg of ghee. But suppliers, including the diary cooperative society in the State, are unable to supply the required quantity. While, 3,000 kg is purchased from suppliers in the State, the remaining 15,000 kg is procured from Karnataka, spending about Rs.375 per kg, says an official.
“Prices of many ingredients have gone up drastically. The expenditure to prepare one laddu is Rs.11.42 but it is being sold for Rs.10. Given the situation, we need to increase the price or reduce the weight of the laddu. The same was reported to higher authorities three months ago,” he says.
However, the temple Executive Officer Trinadha Rao says rising expenditure was not a reason to reduce the laddu weight.
“Many other temples in the State have shrunk the laddus from 100 grams to 80 grams. We too have written to the Endowments Department to sanction permission for reducing the size. We awaiting the department’s approval,” says Mr. Rao.
